The ABC of LOVE
by TheDarkestHours
Summary: Series of small stories, in no chronological order, revolving around TOWEN. Each chapter is named using each letter of the alphabet.
1. Chapter 1

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**Since my other fics are almost coming to an end, I've decided to start publishing this.**_

_**It's a little something that I've been working on for the past months.**_

_**They are a series of kind of drafts-short stories, in no chronological order but within the same universe, using each letter of the alphabet.**_

_**Obviously**__** Towen, all the way! The chapters cover from the moment they met in Iraq, until many, many years later.**_

_**They will be updated every week (hopefully) or whenever I feel like, it all depends of people's response, if you like this or not, if this flops, this never happened haha. **_

_**I already have a written a bunch of them so I think they can be easily updated every now and then.**_

_**They are considerably shorter than my usual long chapters.**_

_**This chapter will be left blank for now, at the end, once all the chapters are up, here will be placed a list with the chapters in order in case one day someone wants to reread them, they can do it in order **_

_**Enough of my rant. I really, really hope you like it, I've worked a lot on this, almost for 5 months.**_

_**At first it may seem confusing but as I update more chapters you will be able to understand it. Anyway, if you have a question ask in the comments and I will try to answer in the next update, as much as I can without making spoilers. **_

_**I will post two chapters, so you can get an idea how it will be. So, go to the next chapter!**_

_**TheDarkestHours xoxo**_


	2. Chapter 2

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

* * *

_**Allison My Angel**_

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It was almost the break of dawn. The lonely streets of Seattle were being covered with a super thin layer of rain breeze and Owen Hunt struggled to stay up and awake while looking for his keys to open the door of the apartment after a grueling night in the OR.

Since 8 o'clock at night he had been called for an emergency and until now, almost 9 hours later he was at home ready to sleep next to the warm body of his girlfriend, Teddy Altman.

When he opened the door of his bedroom as in cue, Owen's lips, that until a few seconds ago were a thin line, raised in a broad smile when he saw Teddy sleep peacefully.

It was something hypnotic to see her like that, so peaceful, so quiet, especially after she had been on a rollercoaster of emotions in recent months, but it was all worth it. In 3 months they would have their little girl in their arms.

Their little girl.

While Owen took off his clothes to put on his pajamas he noticed how Teddy's foot and hand were jumping with slight spasms and her breathing in choked whimpers. She was having a nightmare.

Owen went towards her stroking her hair gently and kissing her forehead to make her wake up.

"Teddy, honey, wake up." Owen whispered between kisses. "Honey, wake up."

Teddy's eyes snapped open, letting out a sharp sigh. Her green eyes scanning the room as if trying to recognize the place, then staring at Owen, until gradually her eyes began to fill with tears.

"It was dream, sweetheart, it was just a dream." Owen said as he wrapped her in his arms rocking her as she clung to his torso as if not wanting to let him go.

Owen got between the blankets and again wrapped Teddy in his arms, still affected by her dream she didn't hesitate to lay her head on his chest.

"Go back to sleep. I got you." Owen whispered as he kissed her on the head.

"It was so real, Owen." She whispered.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

After a few seconds in silence Teddy sighed deeply and cleared her throat. "It was her. I dreamed about her, _Allison_."

Owen hugged her tighter. He knew what it meant for Teddy to dream about Allison, or even the mere mention of her.

"I dreamed about _that_ day. The day I lost her. We were both in the tower and we were running trying to get out of there... suddenly when we were a couple of meters from the exit she stopped and I stayed there... watching her... waiting for her to move, to keep running, but she didn't. Instead she smiled at me and told me to leave... then she turned around and headed back inside the tower... I ran to reach her again, to take her to the exit, but the more I ran I couldn't reach her... then everything became a white mist and when it was fading all I could see was the debris of the towers... and I couldn't do anything for her".

"Teddy, you know it wasn't your fault, nor Allison's. There was nothing you could've done to save her, you know that, right?"

"I know but..."

Owen slid on the bed, turning to face her. "But nothing, darling. It was the most terrible event, but think that Allison would want to see you happy, not blaming yourself for something that wasn't in your hands".

"And I don't blame myself... but, It's so hard, Owen. Even after all these years I still feel like it was yesterday when I lost her."

"I wish I could tell you that that will go away, but it's not like that. You just learn to live with that."

"I know". She whispered.

"Go back to sleep." Owen said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. She buried her face in his chest inhaling his scent that always helped her sleep more calmly.

"Owen?"

"Tell me, love." Owen answered as Teddy reached out her arm to turn on the bedside lamp.

"I know we haven't officially talked about this but..."

Owen opened his eyes, trying to focus his gaze on the sudden brightness of the room and pay attention to whatever Teddy was about to say.

"I want us to name the baby _Allison_." Teddy bit her lip nervously, waiting for Owen's reaction. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Teddy with a huge smile.

"Is that what you want?" He asked.

She nodded energetically with a shy smile.

"Then Allison will be." Owen said placing his hand on Teddy's round belly, caressing and kissing her. "Hey there Allison. That will be your name, do you like it?!"

Teddy felt a series of small kicks. "You feel it?!"

Owen smiled broadly. "I'll take that as a sign that she likes her name!"

"Totally!"

Once the kicks stopped they both settled back in bed and in minutes they were fast asleep. This time without nightmares.

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_**Don't f**_**_orget to check the next chapter and leave me your comments of course!_**


	3. Chapter 3

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

* * *

_**Baby No More**_

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Owen came into the bedroom, leaning on the threshold, his arms folded over his chest, watching Teddy comb her hair, sitting in front of her vanity.

She looked thoughtfully, sad, he was too. In general, the air of emptiness and sadness was breathed in the whole house. Daniel was still at summer camp and Allison had left that morning for college. On the other side of the country. On Yale.

It was inevitable, they knew that their little ones would leave one day, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. Allison and Daniel were the light of the house. Their laughter echoed throughout the place. Their endless fights with the overprotective and strict of their father and his "_no boyfriends_" and "_no videogames after 9pm_" rules.

Bustling Christmases, as always Teddy, David and Allison went all over the top decorating the house and the tree, sometimes Owen helped, just to be sent to the couch with an "_Owen/Daddy that doesn't go there, you're ruining it!_" so most of the time Owen watched them, sitting on the sofa, drinking hot chocolate, Jack, their dog , sleeping peacefully on his lap.

The fact that their _girl_, as Teddy still called her, because she would always be her girl, her baby, wasn't here didn't mean that they wouldn't have that, at least not entirely, she would be back for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but the other moments? When it was Owen and Teddy's day off, and Allison and her brother Daniel came home from school telling their parents how their day had gone and then everyone sat at the table for lunch and it was all screams and laughter.

Or those other moments when they went from school to the hospital and sneaked into the gallery to see their parents in action or just did homework in the attending's room while they finished their shift. Those moments probably wouldn't repeat anymore. Daniel spent more and more time with his friends and his "_best friend_" and Allison was no longer at home.

Teddy looked at Owen through the reflection in the mirror and let out a quivering sigh. Owen walked towards her and hugged her from behind kissing her temple.

"She will be fine. She is not alone. Harriet and Ellis are helping her."

"I know, but I can't help but feel sad and worried. What if something happens and we aren't there?"

"She is a flight away."

"Yes, an 8-hour flight away!"

Owen laughed. "We knew this would happen, our little bear would leave home one day and that day has arrived and soon Daniel will too."

"I don't know, Owen. I have a feeling, I don't know what it is, but... What if they make fun of her? What if they make fun of our girl because she is not this super party-girl and she prefers to read, draw and write instead of getting drunk? You know how some young people are at that age. Or what if they change her and she becomes this crazy party-girl? Owen, I swear if someone makes fun of my baby I'm capable to go to the other side of the country and—"

"Ok, ok, ok mama bear, you've to stop! You're too beautiful when you ramble." Owen said as he rubbed Teddy's tense shoulders, she left herself to be carried away by his touch. He began to kiss her neck slowly, following the path to her chest when they were interrupted by the ring of Teddy's cell phone. It was a video call. It was Allison. In seconds Teddy answered and Owen took the place next to her on the stool.

"Hey baby!" Teddy greeted her baby with a huge smile, followed by Owen. "Hey little bear!"

"Hey mom and dad. Am I calling at a bad time?"

"No, my love, not at all!"

"Yes, sure mom. Pull up the strap of your nightgown."

Embarrassed, Teddy did what her daughter said while Owen laughed, earning a pinch on his leg from his wife.

"So, how are you doing without me and Daniel at home? I see you still don't kill each other."

"Oh, your mom is about to lose it." Owen said, making fun of Teddy's meltdown.

"Why am I not surprised? Let me guess, she already had at least her third meltdown by now."

Owen laughed out loud. "Well, you'll be happy to know she has only had one."

"What?! I can't believe it, mom!"

"Ok, you two stop!" Teddy scolded them in a trembling voice about to cry. "And you, young lady, when you have children and leave home you will understand me. I bet you that many parents of your classmates don't care about them, they don't care if they eat or not, if they sleep well or not, if they feel alone or—".

"Mom, come on! It was a joke. Also, how do you want me to have children if dad doesn't let me have a boyfriend? "

"And you're right young lady, no boyfriends" Owen said pointing with his finger to then take the cell phone from Teddy's hands and bring her to him with his arm. "It was a joke, honey." He said, kissing her head. "But tell us, little bear, how's college? Are you excited?"

"Super excited, dad! Although I haven't been here for a day yet and at least 4 people have asked me if I'm related to Dr. Altman. There was this super weird guy who I didn't even have to tell anything to him, he already knew everything about mom! He told me this whole biography and how she inspired him to study medicine."

"That's good, honey!" Owen exclaimed.

"I know, but... I don't want to be known as _the daughter of_. I want to make merits for myself, I want to stand out for who I am not for who my mother is." Allison answered, a little downcast. She really wanted to stand out for her talents, she had experienced first-hand how difficult it was for the Grey guys to live in the shadow of their mother and grandmother and she definitely didn't want that for her life.

"But it can't be that bad? I mean, I'm not that known." Teddy said.

"Mom... are you serious? Theodora Altman, former head of MedCom, three times winner of the "_Catherine Fox_" award, creator of artificial hearts based on stem cells, not to mention that you improved the synthetic valves, I don't know how many times you've been published by _The American Heart Journal_ and you made it to the top 20 of the 500 best surgeons of the year... Mom, you're a legend!" Allison ranted in that way so similar to her mother's.

Teddy felt terrible. She felt that instead of opening the doors to her daughter she was closing them even before she could knock. All her life her motor to work was always her children and Owen, but especially her little girl, she wanted to make her feel proud, that she looked at her as an example of women empowerment, but everything seemed to be blowing up in her face.

"I'm so sorry, baby." Teddy sighed.

"What?! No mommy, no! I'm not angry, it's just... I'm so proud of you, mom, of everything you've accomplished and I just want to be a small part of everything you are... and I know that people will underestimate me and think that everything was given to me in a silver tray, but that will only push me to be better and show them the opposite."

Allison's parents were perplexed. She had left them speechless. "When did you grow my so much, little bear?" Owen said, with the warmest of smiles.

"I learned it from the best. And I'm also very proud of you, dad. You taught me to always do what I do with love and fight for what I want."

"Ok, now you want to make me cry too." Owen replied, as he wiped a tear with his thumb.

"I love you so much. And I swear I'll make you two feel proud of me."

"We already are, honey!" Owen and Teddy answered in unison.

"OK, I've to go. It has been a tiring day and tomorrow I've to keep unpacking. Tell Daniel hello for me and to don't even think to use my car!"

"Your car is safe. Sleep tight, my love".

"Sweet dreams, little bear."

And with one last blow kiss Allison disconnected the video call. Teddy and Owen let out a sad sigh looking at each other with tearful eyes.

"What will we do without her, Owen?"

"Honey, you talk as if we were completely alone, we still have 4 years with Daniel, we will do what we did before her."

Teddy got up from the stool and started pacing in the room.

"What's wrong now, Teddy?"

"There is no _'before her'_, Owen... we… forget it, it's stupid."

Owen got up from his place walking to where she was standing with her arms crossed, looking at the floor. "Teddy. Look at me. Tell me".

"We are together _because_ of her... and now that she isn't here—"

"Teddy, Teddy, stop, stop, stop!" Owen was hurt and his voice showed it. "After all these years, you still...?"

"I know, I know, I know and I'm sorry! I'm a stupid for even thinking about it. I'm sorry, please forgive me!" Teddy said, hugging Owen, tearfully.

"You're a mess, honey. A beautiful mess."

Both remained embraced for a long time until...

"Owen, did you notice?"

"Notice what?"

"Allison didn't tell us _mommy_ and _daddy_ anymore. She told us _mom_ and _dad_. " Teddy said with panic in her voice.

Owen laughed loudly. "Ok, now you threw the ball out of the field! Go to sleep. You need to rest that crazy head of yours!"

They both went to bed, Owen spooning her as always, his nose buried in her hair. 100 years could go by and he would never get tired of this.

"Owen?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you."

Owen kissed her on the neck muttering an "_I love you too_" against her warm skin. "Teddy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Allie did say _mommy_ once."

They both laughed softly and minutes later they were both sound asleep.

* * *

_**So, what do you think?**_

_**Wanna read more?**_


	4. Chapter 4

**_***ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE***_**

**_OMG GUYS! Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, i'm _****_speechless!_**

**_I was so hesitant about posting this fic, i always am when i post something new, but i am so glad you liked._**

**_This chapter is _****_especially for those who left me a review, bestiewritters and Luiza (my biggest supporters and reviewers from the very beginning), McGoogleRandom, e,werkes and MDer. THANK YOU!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_Reviews are always welcome :)_**

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_**Christmas Craziness**_

* * *

Like a caged lion. That was how Teddy felt. She had been awake since 8:00 am trying to occupy herself in more or less tidy up the house; as much as her baby bump of almost 39 weeks would allow her. By 11:00 am she was already showered, dressed and sitting in the living room "_watching_" a series with nothing else to do but wait for Owen to wake up.

It was Owen's first day off; he had been granted with paternity leave. Teddy had already been on leave for 3 weeks and although if it was for her, she'd have kept working, but when her round and big belly began to make difficult certain tasks such as having agility in the trauma room, doing compressions, or simply reaching the patient in surgery both she and Bailey decided it was time to call a break.

However, today she didn't feel anxious about the lack of things to do. Yes, these 3 weeks had been boring, but since Megan and her entire family arrived in Seattle to be present at Allison's birth and for Christmas, her presence was her best distraction. What made her feel impatient now was how much Owen was taking to wake up. This was not normal of him. And again, it wasn't that she was bored, but she had _big_ plans for the next few days, starting with today.

Five. Ten. Fifteen minutes. Nothing. The impatience grew. Teddy was about to wake him up when a sleepy Owen left the bedroom and appeared in front of her.

"Why did you take so long to wake up?!" Teddy spat, annoyed.

"I love you too?" Owen said, confused, rubbing his eyes.

"I've plans for us today!"

"Me too." Owen answered, going to sit next to Teddy placing a hand on her belly and kissing her gently on the lips. "Good Morning."

It was all it took for Teddy to forget her annoyance. "Good Morning." She whispered, smiling. "And I love you too." She added with a kiss. "And this tiny human loves you too." Teddy took Owen's hand to where their daughter was kicking.

"She already wants to come out." Owen put his face in front of Teddy's belly. "Do you want to come out, little bear?" He said, baby talking, and then kissing the crest of the belly. "I can't believe we're days away from finally having her here."

"Me neither." Teddy said, joining her hands in her belly next Owen's. "But!"

"But what?!"

"She'll have to stay in there at least a few more days because mommy has some plans."

"Plans? What plans? What do you plan to do besides rest as much as possible before the baby comes? "Owen asked, confused.

"What day is today, Owen?"

"December 1st."

"December 1st." Teddy said, giving Owen a look as if he should know what it meant.

"December 1st." He repeated. "Honey, is there anything I should remember?"

Teddy gave him her more serious face, as if she were about to make a huge statement. "Owen, we have to start shopping for Christmas and decorating the apartment."

Owen laughed out loud. "That was a good one!" Teddy held her serious face. "Honey, you are days away from giving birth! How do you intend to walk up and down doing shopping and decorating the apartment?!"

"Owen, come on! You know how much I love Christmas and this will be the first Christmas with our daughter... I just want it to be as special as possible. Also, you said that you had plans too." Teddy said, with lamb eyes, it was her favorite weapon when she wanted to convince Owen of something.

"I know honey, I know how much you love Christmas, but also think that at any moment Allison will decide it's time to come out... I just want you to rest, that was my plan! Make you rest, pamper you, give you a massage, watch movies, sleep. In a few days sleep will be a luxury."

Teddy turned around, crossing her arms over her belly with a pout. She didn't want to cry! For God she didn't, but damn hormones! She quickly wiped a tear that escaped her eyes, but it was too late, Owen had seen it. He took her into his arms, laying her head on his chest, rubbing her back, shushing her, while Teddy cried and cried her eyes out. Minutes later their cries became trembling sobs and then hiccups.

Owen cupped her face, wiping her soaked cheekbones with his thumbs. "Do you feel better?" Teddy nodded. "You are too beautiful for _my_ own good, did you know that? It's okay, we'll go shopping." Teddy's face lit up with a smile. "But... we'll take it slowly, one thing at a time. Okay?"

"Yeah." Teddy answered softly, wiping her tears with her hand.

"Come here." He took her back in his arms. He loved her so much, he would do anything to see her happy and if she wanted to go Christmas shopping then they would go Christmas shopping.

A couple of hours later the pair of future parents were on their way to do Christmas shopping. Their first stop would be a Christmas tree farm.

Teddy was ecstatic. She waddled from one place to another appreciating the trees. Owen close behind her, his heart skipping a lot of beats every time she hurried from one tree to another, fearing she would stumble with uneven ground until he better decided to link his arm with hers just so Teddy would end up letting go of him and again waddle from tree to tree.

Once Teddy found the perfect tree, a leafy pine tree ridiculously large for their small living room Owen wanted them to go back home, but Teddy insisted on going to buy ornaments and lights to decorate the tree and the rest of their apartment.

This is how the next days went by. Among shopping, decorations, wrapping gifts and waiting for Allison when they least expected it was Christmas Eve night. However, Allison still didn't show any sign of wanting to come to the world.

The night of the 24th Teddy and Owen went to Evelyn's house for the most beautiful Christmas Eve diner that Teddy had seen in a long time. Evelyn, Megan, Nathan, Farouk, Owen and she dined, exchanged gifts, talked and laughed all night. By 3 o'clock in the morning Owen and Teddy were already back home, exhausted but happy, well, not so much. Teddy was somewhat downcast. Owen noticed it all the way back home, but he didn't say anything.

"It was a wonderful evening, don't you think? Mom and Megan went crazy with so many presents for Allison." Owen said as he helped Teddy to take off her coat and her scarf, hanging them on the hook next to the entrance door.

"Yeah, it was beautiful." Teddy muttered with a sad smile.

"Hey darling, is something wrong?" Owen asked, taking her by the waist. "I noticed you quite absent during the way back here."

"Is nothing. I'm just tired, let's go to sleep."

Teddy tried to get out of his arms, but Owen pulled her closer to him. He knew better. "You're lying. I know you and I know you're lying, what's wrong?"

She let out a sigh. "It's just... you're going to say I'm a stupid ungrateful—"

"I would never say that." Owen interrupted her.

"I hoped that by today our baby girl was already." She said, in a trembling voice and watery eyes. "I went all over the top decorating the tree and the apartment because I wanted to live all this experience of the first Christmas with her and now it's Christmas, I'm overdue and probably they'll have to induce me or do a C-section and everything will be hurried and in a cold OR and Megan leaves the day after tomorrow and surely she won't be here and, and, and." She lost it. She started crying into Owen's arms.

"Honey, you know that with this kind of thing you never know. Remember what Carina said, our daughter is fine and if in the following hours there are still no changes you will be induced the day after tomorrow. Induced doesn't mean that you will have a C-section, you know that, honey." Owen said, kissing her on the forehead. "Maybe she doesn't want to come out because she loves her mommy too much." This made Teddy laugh lightly.

As always, Owen let her vent, her emotional episodes had increased considerably in recent weeks, she was more emotional than ever, and he understood, of course he understood, she wasn't in control of her emotions, sometimes he even found her beautiful, crying at the most bizarre things like when he cut his jaw with the razor while shaving his beard or when they ran out of shampoo. So he only comforted her sweetly, stroking her back and her hair, kissing her repeatedly on the temple, until she moaned.

"What?! What happens?!"

"It was just a twinge, these damned Braxton Hicks won't leave me in peace. I thought they were over."

"Come, let's go to sleep, it's been a long day".

Owen took her hand to lead her into the bedroom, but she stopped abruptly moaning again. There was no time for more words when the sensation of a horrible pressure in her belly made her bend over in pain and then be followed by a splash on her feet.

"Oh God, Owen! My water broke!"

"I think we'll have a baby for Christmas after all!" Owen said, chuckling nervously. Effectively, they would have the best of all Christmas gifts.


	5. Chapter 5

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**Tomorrow there will be update of "Strong bird, wounded wings" I swear. **_**_It's already finished, but there are still some things that I need to correct, but it will be until tomorrow._**

_**In the meantime enjoy this update!**_

_**Reviews are always welcome!**_

* * *

_**Daddy's Little Girl**_

* * *

Owen was losing it. He was late for work, Teddy was out of town giving lectures on her stem cells' hearts and Allison... his poor baby didn't stop crying. She was recovering from a cold and an ear infection, added to that, she was teething and mostcertainly, missed her mommy.

For a moment he regretted having encouraged Teddy to go to give a series of lectures to Stanford University, she was so good at soothing Allison's cries, not that he wasn't, but it was _always_ easier when she was by his side. _Everything_ was easier with her by his side. But he also knew how much Teddy had worked on this project, for years, since before leaving Seattle.

Teddy had been out only two days, but he felt it had been two months. He missed her so much, he needed her so much, and their baby girl too. This last night had been the worst, the fever, the vomit, the coughing fits and her swollen gums had kept her awake all night crying and sobbing-babbling _"momma"_.

Owen paced the whole apartment rocking her, patting her tiny back, stroking her small head, kissing her forehead, trying everything to make his little bear sleep. He felt helpless, the medications seemed to have no effect, he tried everything, baths of warm water, damp cloths on her forehead. He was about to take her to the hospital, he even called Alex Karev on more than one occasion and he recommended patience and waiting for the medications to take effect. There was no point in getting Allison out to the cold street. Owen already knew all this, but his overprotective father's instinct was superior to his medical instincts.

It wasn't until around 5:00 in the morning when the fever began decrease and the tiredness of the whole night awake began to take effect not only on the little baby but also on her exhausted father.

In a couple of hours it'd be time to go to work so there was no point to go to bed. Owen sat in the rocking chair in Allison's nursery, rocking back and forth, cradling his baby girl in a huge pillow in his lap and protecting her with his arms, mumbling lullabies, combing her ginger curls. If he could make her sleep that would give him time to take a quick shower, get dressed and have Allison's diaper bag ready to go to work _just_ in time, at least that was his plan.

When Owen opened his eyes the bright sunlight blinded him immediately. He looked down at his baby girl in his lap, Allison was curled up with her little face hidden against his chest and her tiny fist clutched tightly to his shirt. His heart was about to burst with love, like every time he saw his red-haired green-eyed little bear.

His first action before giving her a soft kiss on her chubby check was placing his hand on her forehead. He sighed in relief, the fever was gone. Now she was sleeping peacefully, although she still wheezed while breathing, but hopefully soon everything would go back to normal.

Owen looked at the clock on the wall and when he realized the time he couldn't help but panic. It was past 1:00 p.m.

"Crap, crap, crap!" He muttered repeatedly as he got up carefully from the rocking chair so as not to wake Allison up and then lay her down in her baby seat. There was not even time for a shower, he would do it at the hospital in some free time. He just washed his face and teeth, took off his sweaty and vomit-stained clothes and slipped into fresh clean ones.

While putting everything necessary on Allison's diaper bag he realized that she was also wearing dirty clothes and needed a diaper change. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He mumbled. She was still asleep, there was a 100% chance that she would wake up if he changed her clothes and her diaper. "_FUCK!_". He cried through clenched teeth in frustration of not being able to do it out loud.

There was no other option. With extreme care and delicacy, Owen removed Allison's pants. She didn't wake up. Then her hoodie. She stirred a little and Owen held his breath. Then her onesie. And just then his luck ended. She started to whimper and then burst into a loud cry.

Owen rushed to change her diaper, clean her body with wet wipes and dress her up with an adorable rabbit onesie with ears on the hood in record time. Once dressed in warm clothes again, Allison's cries stopped and Owen exhaled in relief.

He took her to his chest with her small head buried in the crook of his neck then _that_ happened.

_"Daddaaa"._ Allison sobbed. _"Daddaaa"_.

Owen's skin bristled. His lips lifted in the biggest smile. It was the _first_ time that Allison had said _"daddy"_.

"Daddy is here, my little rabbit. Daddy is here." Owen whispered kissing his little girl's temple.

_"Daddaaa, daddaaa!"_

All the way to the hospital Owen kept encouraging Allison to say "daddy". He felt like a child with a new toy, as if he had discovered something transcendental for the history of humanity and perhaps it was something transcendental, at least for _his_ history and his little family's.

Owen came rushing to the hospital carrying his backpack and Allison's diaper bag, and still, to everyone who came in his way he didn't stop showing that Allison had finally said "_Daddy_", until he ran into Miranda Bailey.

"Hunt, what the hell are you doing here?! And why the hell you don't answer the phone to Altman? She is worried sick!"

Damn it, with the rush he didn't realize that his cell phone was dead. Teddy was probably furious, or worried, or both.

"I'm so sorry for being late. Allison was up all night with a fever and I slept thru. My cell phone battery died, but I'm here and I'm willing to work extra hours, just let me take Allison to daycare!" Owen ranted in that way he had learned from Teddy.

Miranda huffed. "Are you crazy?!"

Owen looked at her confused.

"Alex told me about Allison, you are not going to take her to daycare, she is a focus of infection. Go home and the two of you go to bed. But first call Teddy! Here". She gave him her cell phone and took Allison in her arms baby talking to her. "Come here sweet pea, your dumb father has you up and down, come here. Look at you, you are the most beautiful bunny!" Miranda snuggled Allison against her chest while Owen called Teddy.

"She was furious _and_ worried." Owen said, sheepishly, giving Miranda her cell phone back.

"Of course she was, she's out of town, her baby girl is sick and you don't answer the goddamn phone!" Miranda scolded him and Allison started whimpering slightly, calling her mommy this time.

"She had said daddy is morning." Owen said, slightly offended-surprised.

"She misses her mommy. Go home, Hunt, we'll take care of the ER. This sweet bunny needs to rest."

"She hasn't stopped crying since yesterday, I don't know what else to do, medicine is just starting to work, but it breaks my heart to see her cry, I feel so useless."

"That's being a father, Hunt. That feeling will _never_ go away, you'll suffer every time she does, it's the law of life, the law of parenthood." Miranda said, while twirling Allison's curls between her fingers and she entertained herself with the stethoscope hanging around Miranda's neck.

"Momma, momma!" Allison babbled, showing the stethoscope to her dad and Miranda.

"Yes, baby, it's like momma's!" Miranda said, then Allison took the stethoscope to her mouth. "Oh no, no, no, little one. You can't eat this." The baby started whimper again. Owen took her in his arms and she calmed down again by leaning on his shoulder and babbling "_Dadda_" making Owen and Miranda chuckle.

"Go home. Rest."

"Would you mind if we stay in an on-call room? I'm exhausted to drive back home."

"And you pretended to work extra ours." Miranda laughed. "Of course you can. Go!"

"Any recommendations to make her sleep?" Owen asked Miranda, with a hopeless look.

"When you get back home you can try a warm bath and lavender oil. Put a few drops in the water and a few drops on her pillow case or a little smear with your finger on the tip of her nose. Meanwhile try to wrap her in Teddy's sweater, I think there is one in the attending's room."

"Wrap her in Teddy's sweater? Why?" Owen asked, confused.

Miranda looked at him with an _are you stupid?_ Look, pursing her lips. "You really need parental advice. She is used to Teddy's smell, that has calmed her since she was born. Go to the on call room, wrap her in the sweater and turn off the lights. I know what I tell you."

"Okay". Owen answers, still incredulous.

"Poor baby. Your father is lost." Miranda kissed Allison on the forehead and left.

Owen did just what Miranda told him. He went to the on-call room, padlocked the door and he and Allison settled down in bed, Allison wrapped in her mommy's sweater. While she drank her bottle of milk, Owen stroked her soft red curls, kissed her on the head and mumbled a lullaby. Minutes later Allison tossed her bottle aside, covered her face with her mommy's sweater and snuggled against her daddy's chest. Soon she was whistling-snoring.

"You even snore like Mommy." Owen whispered, giving his girl one last kiss on the head. Minutes later he was also deeply asleep, immensely happy because daddy's little girl had finally said _the_ word.


	6. Chapter 6

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**To make up a little for yesterday's update...**_

* * *

_**Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic**_

* * *

"It hurts, it hurts so much!" Teddy was in extreme pain, panting and clinging tightly to Owen's hand.

"I know, my love, I know. But you are being so strong. I'm so proud of you". Owen's voice was soft, he wiped the sweat from Teddy's forehead with a damp cloth and kissed her tenderly in the head.

The contractions had started around 3 in the morning, they hurried to the hospital but since the contractions didn't last more than 15 seconds with intervals of more than 30 minutes between them and Teddy was only 3 centimeters dilated so Carina decided to send her back home until the contractions were more lasting and with less time between them.

So there they were, back at home. Even Megan and Evelyn came to help the anxious parents to be. By 8 o'clock in the morning the contractions lasted 40 seconds and only gave her less than 10 minutes between them.

"Do you want us to try to walk again?" Megan asked Teddy.

"Yes." Teddy sighed. Owen helped her to her feet and Megan linked her arm with Teddy's, helping her to take small walks around the apartment.

"Owen, I think you should go back to the hospital." Evelyn pointed. "It's been 5 hours and things are moving fast. I don't want Teddy to give birth here in the living room or in the car!"

"Trust me mom, I don't want that either! But what if they send us back again?!"

"Do you want me to give you a check before leaving to see how dilated you are?" Megan asked Teddy and she nodded. "Ok, we'll be right back." And she helped Teddy walk towards the bedroom.

"I go with you." Owen said.

"NO! No, no, no! You stay here! I don't want you seeing my lady parts like that!" Teddy answered, ashamed at the idea of Owen seeing her _lady parts_ while in labor.

Owen laughed. "We are doctors, Teddy!"

"Yes, but not today! Let's go Megan!"

"It's not the same _see_ _that_ and _enjoy_ _that_, brother!" Megan mocked at her brother.

"Megan!" Evelyn scolded her.

Owen sighed in frustration and paced the living room back and forth. Then Evelyn started laughing.

"What's so funny, Mom?!"

"I never thought I'd see you like this, so anxious waiting for your daughter to be born. It's the best wait, son. Stressful, but totally worth it in the end."

Owen smiled sweetly at his mother until he heard Teddy moan loudly. "What's going on, Megan?!" Owen yelled at his sister.

"Nothing, nothing. Just a contraction!" Megan answered from inside the room. Minutes later she and Teddy came out and Owen hurried to take Teddy and help her walk. "She had another contraction. This lasted 50 seconds and they were only 7 minutes from the other, she is 7 centimeters dilated. Time to go to the hospital!" Megan informed the family with a smile and everyone else smiled nervously.

Before noon Teddy was already fully dilated and ready to push.

"I can't believe how strong you are being. I love so much!" Owen said as he kissed Teddy's forehead, holding her hand tightly.

"It's thanks to you and our daughter. You are giving me that strength." She answered, panting heavily.

"Are we ready to have a Christmas baby?" Carina asked coming into the room and putting on her gown and gloves.

Teddy and Owen nodded with a smile. Everyone took their place. Owen put his arm around Teddy's shoulders and she leaned heavily against his chest, without losing the grip in each other's hand. "Let's do this". Teddy moaned.

"Ok, everything is ready, this little one is already crowning. In the next contraction I want you to give me a big push!" Carina instructed.

After 4 pushes in which Teddy gave all of herself and Owen never stopped cheering, kissing and telling her how much he loved her, the shrill cries of Allison came to make her parents cry too.

As soon as the baby was born, she was placed on her mommy's chest. Teddy and Owen cried with happiness as they admired their tiny and unexpected miracle. "Look at her, Owen, she's perfect!" Teddy sobbed.

Owen's throat was completely closed and his eyes looked more crystalline than ever with tears. "I can't believe we did it. That you did it, everything you do is magic. I love you. I love my girls."

"She was waiting for the perfect day to be born." Teddy said as she kissed Allison's tiny fist.

"And guess what? It's snowing outside." Owen added with a smile, kissing Teddy on the forehead and then Allison. His little piece of magic.


	7. Chapter 7

**_***ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE***_**

* * *

_**Farouk's Welcome**_

* * *

The whole family was ecstatic. Hours after Allison's birth, Evelyn arrived with more balloons and gift bags than her hands could hold. It was her second grandchild and her first granddaughter. Also the first one she'd enjoy since day one, Farouk spent so little time in Seattle that there wasn't much time to enjoy the boy, that didn't mean she didn't love him, of course she did! His two grandchildren were her greatest adoration.

"Mom, seriously?! Don't you think it's too much? We haven't even opened the gifts you gave us yesterday!"

"Oh, shut up and let me spoil my granddaughter!"

"Do you want to hold her?" Teddy asked, rocking her little girl gently after nursing her for the first time.

"I thought you'd never ask!" The old woman said, excited to hold her little granddaughter for the first time.

Owen took his little girl from Teddy's arms and then placed her in his mother's arms.

"She is so beautiful!". Evelyn exclaimed. "She reminds me so much of my Owen when he was born."

"Right?! Teddy says she reminds her of Megan."

"Who reminds you of me?" Speaking of the devil. Megan, Nathan and Farouk arrived with more gifts and more balloons to see the newest addition to the family.

"Your niece." Teddy answered as Megan approached her and they both share a tight hug.

"What?! No! Really?! Let me see!" Megan exclaimed, heading to where her mother was sitting with Allison in her arms. "Of course not! She is all Teddy! Other than that ginger fluff she's all Teddy!"

"I think it's too early to know who she looks like." Nathan added. "Congratulations Hunt. Now the real fun begins!" Both men embraced in an emotional moment.

Hugs and congratulations continued until Owen noticed little Farouk standing in the doorway looking at them all with a strange mixture of emotion and uncertainty. He approached the boy.

"Hey champion. Won't you come over to greet your new cousin?"

"My cousin?"

"Yes, your cousin. You're Allison's cousin, she's your cousin."

"Why?"

"Because you are my sister's son and Allison is my daughter. That makes you two cousins."

"Wow!" The boy exclaimed with wide eyes and a huge smile.

"Do you want to come and say hello?" Megan asked as she rocked little Allison.

"Can I?" Farouk asked Owen.

"Of course you can! Go!"

"Can I hold her?"

"Of course you can hold her." Teddy said.

Farouk sat on the armchair and Megan placed the little girl in the boy's arms. "Hold her head." Allison began to stir in his arms and Farouk froze looking at them all with a terrified look in his brown eyes.

Nathan knelt next to him. "It's fine, it's fine. Just hold her, put your finger in the palm of her hand and see what happens." Farouk did what his father said and Allison wrapped all her teeny tiny fingers around his cousin's finger.

"She took my finger!" The little boy exclaimed enthusiastically. Everyone in the room laughed at the child's excitement. "She's so small and so light. She's like a doll, she looks like a doll!"

"Now you have a new responsibility, young boy." Owen said, pointing a finger at him.

"Responsibility? Which one?" Farouk asked.

"Well, you'll have to make sure she is always well, to take care of her when you are around and make sure that boys don't make her cry."

"I will never let boys make her cry, uncle Owen, I promise!"

"Talk to her." Teddy said.

"Hey, cousin. I'm Farouk. What else should I say?"

"Anything. Whatever your heart feels." Evelyn said.

"Ok... well, hello. I'm your cousin and... we will have a lot of fun together! We can play when you go California, I live by the sea, I hope you like the sea." Just then Allison opened her eyes. "SHE OPENED HER EYES!" The child shouted excitedly.

"Farouk! Volume!" Megan scolded him with a smile.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry cousin. So... we'll have a lot of fun together. You will love Christmas, well, it will be your birthday. You will love grandma too, she is amazing and makes the best cakes and cookies. You will love our family. I love you cousin." Little Farouk said, giving Allison a soft kiss on the forehead while everyone looked at them with tears in their eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**I wasn't planning to update this since it has been flopping miserably and it's making me lose interest a little bit, I just wanted to say i hadn't forgotten SBWW and i hope to update soon. i just need to find the inspiration again, i will try to write this weekend-week :)**_

* * *

_**Girls' Night**_

* * *

It was Saturday morning, Owen was in the kitchen warming up Allison's bottle when Teddy came in wrapping her arms around his waist and burring her face into his back. He turned in her arms, took her by the waist and joined his lips with hers.

"Good Morning." Owen said with a smile. His face only millimeters from Teddy's.

"Good Morning."

"Did you sleep well? I didn't hear you come last night."

"It was almost 2 in the morning. You and the baby were already sound asleep."

"Speaking of, she'll wake up at any moment."

"Love, what will you do tonight?" Teddy asked, biting her lip.

"Tonight? I don't know. Finish prepping for my surgery on Monday I think, why?"

"Well... I wanted to know if... I don't know, could you stay with Allison tonight?"

"I can, but why?"

"I'll go to a girls' night!" Teddy said with a huge smile.

"Girls' night? With whom?"

"Callie and Arizona are visiting so all the girls will go, you know, have a good time, can you? Please say yes!"

Owen laughed and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Of course I can. You go and have a good time."

"I love you so much." Teddy wrapped her arms around Owen's neck and kissed him fervently. Owen took Teddy by the waist and sat her on the kitchen bar. Seconds later Allison started to cry. They both laughed and shared one last quick kiss before Teddy got off the bar, took the bottle and went to feed her daughter.

It was almost 7:00 p.m. when Owen was sitting on the floor of the living room playing with Allison when Teddy left the bedroom ready to leave.

Owen was speechless. She was wearing _tight_ black leather pants, an emerald green off shoulder top with ruffles that accentuated her chest area, dangerously high black heels, her hair was styled in wild curls that framed her delicate features, smoke eye and nude lipstick. _Breathtaking_.

"How do I look?" Teddy asked, with a shy smile. "I don't remember the last time I dressed up so much or the last time I went out!" She added, chuckling. Owen was still in shock staring her up and down, imagining hundreds of things in his mind, most of which _did_ _not_ include either the green top or the tight black pants.

"Momma!" Allison shrieked reaching her chubby arms towards her mom startling her daddy, pulling him out of his reverie.

Teddy reached down to pick up her baby girl and Owen swallowed hard as her hair brushed his arm and when his nose smelled the scent of her perfume.

"You-You-You-You look amazing!" Owen stuttered.

"Really?" Teddy asked without looking at him and instead playing and kissing Allison's chubby cheeks and hands.

"Absolutely! What if you ditch the girls and you and I go out?"

Teddy laughed, returning Allison to Owen's arms. "As tempting as that sounds, no. I really want to go out with the girls this time, it's been so long since the last time I saw Callie and Arizona."

"I know, I was kidding. There will be time for us."

"Are you sure you'll be fine? I pumped enough milk for the night and tomorrow, there is also baby formula... what else..."

"We will be fine. Go and have fun."

Teddy gave Owen one last long kiss before going to her girls' night.

"Well, young lady, I think now it's just you and me."

"Dadda!" Allison babbled, taping her little mouth with her hand. That was her sign to ask for a snack.

"Let's go for cookies, my little bear!"

Hours later, Owen was still in the living room, checking files, books and articles online for his surgery. It was after 4:00 am, obviously Allison was already asleep, but he was starting to get preoccupied, the last message he received from Teddy was around 12:00 am with _a lot _of misspellings, signal that she was probably already tipsy.

Just at that moment noises were heard. Someone was trying to open the door. Teddy. Owen got up immediately to open the door. Outside, Teddy struggled with her keychain, squinting to find the key, she was swinging back and forth, her shoes in her hands, her hair was disheveled, her face flushed.

"Oh my god, Teddy, you're finally here!" Owen said in relief.

Teddy looked up and when she saw Owen her eyes widened. She jumped to hug him by the neck hitting him on the head with her shoes and shrieking loudly. "OWEN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"I live here". Owen answered, confused.

Teddy pulled away and I looked at him squinting. "N-no, y-y-you don't live he-here, you live in Seattle." She was completely hammered, the words coming out of her mouth in erratic syllables, dragging each one.

"And this is Seattle. I live here, _we_ live here."

Teddy let out a giggle throwing her shoes in the air no caring where they landed and stumbling into the living room to drink the glass of water that was on the coffee table drinking it all in one gulp. She laughed again.

"N-n-nooo, you and I don't live together!"

Owen had forgotten how funny Teddy was while drunk, she always said nonsenses, although this was the first time that apparently she forgot things so Owen decided to take advantage to make fun of her tomorrow.

"Oh yes we do."

"Noooo, you-you're married... you-you're to A-amelia." She said with a sad voice, then she swayed and fell on her bottoms bursting into laughter.

"Teddy!" Owen hurried towards her

"I'm fine, I'm fine!"

"Let's go to bed." Owen offered his hand.

"No! I want to dance. Today I danced, at the bar's bar, I danced. And a guy wanted to flirt with me and I said '_NO!_' and the girls sent him away." She said, in a comical way, dragging her words and making Owen laugh. "Let's dance Owen, like in Iraq, do you remember?!" She crawled across the living room to where the music system was, turning it on. Owen ran after her, turning it off immediately and scooping her up by the waist.

"Oh no, no, no. You're going to wake Allison up!"

"Allison?" Teddy said, with a huge smile. "She... is she here?"

"Allison our daughter." Owen's heart sank when Teddy's smile disappeared. Surely she thought he meant Allison, her favorite person. However, seconds later she started laughing again.

"We have a daughter?!"

"Yes, we have a daughter." Owen answered by placing a lock of hair behind Teddy's ear and then caressing her cheek.

She took Owen by the ear and pulled him towards her. "Does that mean we had sex?" She whispered in his ear and then laughed. "You and me. We had sex!" Then she pulled back, leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor. "But you're married."

Owen laughed lightly sitting next to her and pulling her to him with his arm, this was very funny. "I'm not married. We are engaged, we are getting married. See?" He took her hand, showing her the engagement ring he had given her a few months ago.

She started laughing again. "We have a daughter and we're getting married... and we had sex!"

"You know what? It was enough for today. To bed." Owen said, he got up and helped Teddy to get up too, then he lifted her in his arms.

"LET'S GO HAVE SEX!" Teddy shouted, opening her arms and letting her head fall back as Owen struggled to hold her in his arms.

"Don't shout!" Owen hissed.

"Oh yes our daughter, our daughter." Teddy whispered to then free herself from Owen's arms, landing on her feet, swaying back and forth. "I want to see her, where is she?"

"I'll take you to her room, but you have to keep quiet okay?" Teddy nodded as she pretended to zip her lips. Owen led her to the nursery where Allison slept peacefully. Teddy stumbled to the crib and just before falling to the ground on her knees she managed to grab hold of the crib's bars.

"She is our daughter?"

"Yes, she is our daughter." Owen said, walking towards her wrapping her from behind. She dropped all her weight against Owen's chest and his grip around her grew tighter. He had no idea what the hell she had drunk. Usually drunk Teddy was giggling-filterless Teddy, but now she had even forgotten things. Although it was not surprising, Teddy hadn't drunk a single drop of alcohol in almost two years, surely after three shots she was completely wasted.

"She is beautiful... and she is mine. I made her."

"We made her." Owen said, kissing her neck.

"Because we had sex." Teddy giggled. Then her giggles failed. She let go of Owen's arms and slid down to the floor, kneeling in front of Allison's crib, clinging tightly to the bars. "She is mine."

Owen knelt beside her. "She is yours, she is ours."

"She's mine... so, I'm not alone? I'm always alone."

Owen's heart sank. He took her in his arms and cuddled her against his chest. "You're not alone. You have me, our daughter, we are a family."

Then she started sobbing. "I'm not alone?"

"You are not alone, my love. You will never be alone again."

"I'm not alone, because we have a daughter and we had sex." Teddy mumbled against Owen's chest to then fell asleep.

Owen took her in his arms again and carried her to their bedroom. He couldn't wait to tease her about her drunkenness, obviously avoiding the last emotional moment.

Just as Owen was falling asleep Teddy turned to him hugging him by the chest. "I'm not alone". She muttered sleepily.

"You will never be alone, my love."

"Can we have sex again?"

"Of course we can, as many times as you want." Owen replied, kissing her on the head.


	9. Chapter 9

_*****ENGLISH IS NOT MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**I am so, so, so embarrassed with you all. I am going through the biggest writer block i've ever had. I try to write for SBWW but i can't and the few lines i manage to write don't take me anywhere, but i'm still trying, i promise. I am only updating this because it was already writen and because i wanted to tell you all what is going on and the reason of my absence. I hope the inspiration comes soon, maybe when we get new information about the new season, maybe before, maybe after, it is all unsure now but i am trying.**_

_**Meanwhile i will keep updating this one shots only because it is already finished.**_

_**Reviews are always welcome**_

* * *

_**How Did This Happen?**_

* * *

Teddy is nervous, anxious. She feels weird but she doesn't know the reason. She feels that something is left over, but at the same time that something is missing, a strange feeling in her whole body that makes her shudder. Something, something happens with her, but she doesn't know what.

She and Owen are better than ever, Allison is the healthiest, most intelligent and beautiful girl in the world. Work, although exhausting is excellent too, then, what's wrong?

She feels out of place, like an animal in captivity.

"Hey, what's up?!" Owen hugged her from behind and kissed her on the back of her neck.

"Owen, not here, we're in the middle of the ER!" Teddy said, slapping his arms.

"I don't remember that you cared before." Owen was confused. She was never bothered by his displays of love in public, she even started them sometimes, so why was she bothered by a simple kiss on the back of her neck?

"I have to go". Teddy said, turning around and leaving Owen more confused than ever.

Teddy walked out of the ER looking for a lonely place, she felt she was suffocating. Finding the attending's room empty, she closed door and laid down in the sofa looking at the ceiling, thinking. What the hell was wrong with her? She was moodier than ever. Was it menopause? She was only 46 years old, but it could be. Damn, menopause turned women into hormonal monsters.

"Altman, I was looking for you!" Miranda said as soon as she entered the room and saw Teddy lying on the sofa.

Teddy sat reluctantly and looked at Miranda with tired eyes. "What can I do for you?"

"I've a friend who has a heart condition, she has had it her whole life, she has gone with hundreds of doctors, but they don't tell her much, I hoped you could see her."

"Of course! When?"

"Could it be tomorrow?"

"Sure!"

"Something's wrong?" Miranda asked Teddy, frowning.

"Why?"

"I don't know, I notice you strange... different."

Teddy sighed. "It's nothing... changes of age I think."

Miranda laughed. "Changes of age? You speak as if you were an old woman."

"Well, I'm not 30 either, at my age hot flashes and mood swings can only mean menopause."

"You ain't pregnant, ain't you?" Miranda asked.

Teddy laughed out loud, but then fell silent, thinking. She tried to remember when it was the last time she had her period and in all the times that she and Owen had had _unprotected_ sex in recent months as well.

"Have you been more tired than usual?"

"No".

"Dizziness, nausea?"

"No, no, nothing like that. With the exception of mood swings, I haven't felt anything that tells me I'm pregnant, I don't feel anything I felt when I was pregnant with Allison."

"So you're still having your period."

"No, but—"

"There's only one way to find out." Miranda interrupted her. "Wait, stay here, I'll be back!"

Miranda walked quickly to the nearest supply room, took 4 pregnancy tests and quickly returned to the attending's room where Teddy paced back and forth biting the nail of her thumb.

"Here, take these tests."

"Four? With one is enough!"

"Better be safe, or do you prefer a blood test?"

Teddy rolled her eyes, took the tests and went to the bathroom. Minutes later she left and joined Miranda on the sofa to wait for the results.

"Miranda, this is ridiculous, I'm not pregnant." Teddy said.

"Are you 100% sure? What contraceptive method do you use?"

"Currently condom, I had the IUD removed 6 months ago."

"And how many times have you had sex without a condom in the last month?"

"Miranda!"

"Oh come on, we're surgeons, don't act like a sixth-grade girl!" Miranda scolded her.

"I... I don't remember, at least... I don't know, like 5 times?" Teddy lied. Five times were the times that she and Owen had had sex _with_ condoms.

"It takes once, and you know it." Miranda answered, giving Teddy a knowing look.

Teddy sighed. "It's been 5 minutes."

Teddy got up from the sofa and went to the bathroom on shaky legs. As soon as she saw the tests her heart skipped a beat. The four tests showed a pink plus sing.

"What's wrong?" Miranda asked.

Teddy came out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes, smiling widely. "I'm pregnant". She said, crying and placed her hands on her flat belly.

"Oh my god, come here!" Miranda rushed to her and hugged her tightly while Teddy cried on her shoulder. "This is good, isn't it? It's a baby, you and Hunt love each other, this is good!"

"It is, it is! But I didn't expect it, how did it happen?!"

Miranda pulled back and took her by the arms looking her in the eyes. "You're not really asking how it happened. Should I tell you the story about the little bee?!"

This made Teddy laugh loudly. "I mean, I know how it happened, but... Oh my God, Miranda, I'll have a baby, another baby. I'm so happy!"

"And I'm happy for you!" Miranda exclaimed, giving Teddy a tight hug.

"I have to plan very well how I will tell Owen. This time I want it to be _really_ special!"

"I have a laparotomy in two hours, I mean, in case you want to use the surgery to tell Owen, for me there's no problem."

Teddy laughed. "No, no, no! No more announcements in the middle of surgeries."

This time it has to be truly special, Teddy thought. A dinner maybe? She didn't know yet, but she had to plan it now, she couldn't wait to see his eyes when she told him the good news, she couldn't wait to see Allison's reaction to knowing she will be a big sister. Her family was growing, never in a million years did she imagine this moment. She was truly living her best life, together with the man she loved and her children.


	10. Chapter 10

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

**_I'm back! Sorry for the long absence, A LOT of things happened in my personal life but that's not important._**

**_This weekend I wrote for SBWW (and still am while i update this) and for now I like what I've written, I've almost finished the chapter so it will certainly be updated in the next few days_**

_**Meanwhile, enjoy this new update!**_

_**Reviews are always welcome**_

* * *

_**I Imagined This Too**_

* * *

It was past 10:00 pm, Owen had finished his shift a couple of hours ago, he had already taken a shower and dressed in his casual clothes, had already gone to pick up Allison at daycare and she slept peacefully in his arms while he killed time on his cell phone waiting for Teddy to come out of surgery to go home together.

It had been a really weird day, Teddy had been very strange to him that morning, moody and distant. Owen knew that something was happening and he also knew that soon she would open up to him, but the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what was happening was killing him.

"Hunt, what are you still doing here?" Richard asked, coming into the attending's room.

"Waiting for Teddy. And you?"

"Oh, night shift."

Owen grimaced sympathetically.

"I know. But tell me, how's parenthood?" Richard asked, approaching him and smiling tenderly at Allison making Owen smile proudly.

"Tired, lately she's more attached than ever, I don't understand. She threw a huge tantrum this morning when Teddy left her at daycare."

"I think all children are attached at that age."

"But she wasn't like that, we never had problems leaving her at daycare until these last weeks. Also, everyone talks about the _terrible_ _twos_, but nobody talks about the terrible fours. Her "_Why_" and "_How_" seem never ending, she always has a question for everything!"

"Oh, an inquiring girl!"

"A lot!" Owen replied, chuckling softly. "I'm not surprised, her mother and her aunt are just as inquiring, I think she has it in her blood."

Both men laughed lightly and then were interrupted by Owen's pager making Allison wake up whimpering.

"Crap!" Owen exclaimed.

"Something's wrong?" Richard asked.

"It's Teddy, she needs me urgently in OR 1."

As soon as she heard her mother's name, Allison started crying and asking for her mommy. "Mommy is working, baby girl!" Owen was trying to comfort her.

"Mommy!" She cried.

"I know baby, I know. Mommy will finish soon."

"Well, aren't you going with Teddy?" Richard asked.

"I'll send someone else, daycare is already closed and I don't have anyone to leave Allison with. Remind me to tell Miranda that she should hire night staff."

"Leave her to me! Go!"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Go!"

Immediately Owen handed a weeping Allison to Richard and ran out to meet Teddy.

"Oh don't cry little girl, your parents will be back soon!" Richard tried to comfort Allison by jolting her up and down but not succeeding until he saw Schmit and Parker.

"Parker, Schmit, come here!"

The interns obeyed immediately. "Yes, sir?"

"Help me, help me to make her stop crying!" Richard said, desperate.

"I-I don't know how to treat toddlers!" Schmit said.

"Where is her blue dinosaur?" Parker asked. Richard and Schmit looked at him confused

"What? What dinosaur?" Richard asked.

"Allison has a blue dinosaur that she loves with all her heart, it's the only thing that makes her stop crying when her parents are not around." Parker replied.

"How do you know that?!" Schmit asked, frowning.

"Sometimes I help Major Altman and Hunt with little Allison, it's a good source of extra income, plus I love her and this little soldier loves me too. Isn't that right, little one?" Parker replied taking Allison from Richard's arms. She stopped crying immediately, sinking her little face into Parker's shoulder, circling her chubby arms around his neck sobbing softly, leaving Richard and Parker astonished.

Meanwhile in the scrub room of OR 1 Teddy was pacing nervously, waiting for Owen until he appeared panting and again in his blue scrubs.

"What's wrong, Teddy?!" Owen asked, short of breath.

"Hey." Teddy greeted him with a soft voice and a smile.

Owen looked out the window into the operating room, finding it empty and dark. "Teddy, what's all this? What happens? I had to leave Allison to come here!"

"I wanted to tell you something. Important."

Owen looked at her frowning. "Couldn't you wait for us to get home?" He asked, sounding a little bit annoyed.

"Owen, I don't want to fight, I'm sorry for how I talked to you this morning, but... after what I've to tell you, maybe you can understand me."

Owen huffed and grabbed her by the waist pulling her closer to him. "I don't want to fight either, it's just that I left Allison crying with Richard... she's been so attached."

"I think I know why."

"Why?"

"Remember what happened in this OR... I don't know, like 5 years ago?"

"In this OR? I don't know Teddy, things happen in this OR every day. Just tell me!" Owen answered, impatiently.

"Men." Teddy said, rolling her eyes. "Close your eyes and show me your hands." She said pulling back from his arms with a huge smile.

"Why?"

"Just close your eyes and show me your hands!"

"But—"

"The one with the million of questions is Allison, not you. Just do what I tell you!"

Owen did what Teddy ordered. From her scrub pants' pockets Teddy took one of the four pregnancy tests she had taken that morning and put it in Owen's hands.

"Open your eyes."

Owen opened them and looked at what was in his hands, the pregnancy test with a positive pink plus sign. He looked at Teddy confused. "Are you..." The moment she nodded energetically with tears in her eyes Owen knew the answer. They were going to have a baby.

"We're going to have another baby, I found out this morning and I wanted to tell you as soon as possible!"

Owen couldn't believe it, he hugged her tightly lifting her slightly off the floor making her laugh. "We're going to have a baby, another baby. We. Another baby!" Owen said, smiling like an excited child.

Teddy just nodded crying with happiness. "We are. We will have another baby. Allison will be a big sister."

"Wait a minute. This OR, this is where you told me about Allison." Owen said when he remembered the abrupt way, but that now they both remember with such love, when Teddy told him she was pregnant the first time.

"I knew you would remember."

Owen looked at her with eyes full of love and hugged her tightly again.

"Are you happy?" Teddy asked.

Owen took Teddy's face soaked in tears between his hands. "Are you serious? Love, this is the best news in the world. We will be parents again. Is that why you've been so moody lately and Allison so attached?" Teddy smiled shyly, then he kissed her deeply.

"I imagined this so many times. Another baby." Teddy whispered against Owen's lips.

"You imagined this too?" Owen asked.

"I imagined this too." Teddy answered sweetly and kissed Owen again.


	11. Chapter 11

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**Not much to say, maybe enjoy?**_

_**And if you feel like let me know what you think.**_

* * *

_**Just A Friend**_

* * *

"Come here, young lady!" Owen shouted at his daughter stomping in the house behind her. "ALLISON!"

"DON'T TALK TO ME! I DON'T WANNA TO TALK TO YOU, YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!"

Teddy and Daniel watched stunned from the kitchen. They didn't understand what was happening, Owen had never spoken like that to any of his children or Allison to his father.

"What's going on?!" Teddy asked worriedly.

Allison and Owen were breathing heavily, looking at each other defiantly with fire in their eyes.

Daniel went to hide behind his mother looking afraid at his father and his sister.

"I went to school to pick her up and she was making out in the street with a stranger!" Owen shouted.

"IT WASN'T A STRANGER!" Allison cried angrily.

"Allison, don't talk to your father like that!" Daniel clung to his mother's arm watching everyone argue. "Daniel, go to your room, your father, your sister and I've to talk!"

"Mom!" The boy complained.

"Are you going to argue with your parents too?! Go to your room now!" Teddy scolded him not being able to avoid raising her voice.

Crestfallen, Daniel did what his mother ordered him, although he didn't go to his room, he stayed at the top of the stairs sneaking out what his parents and sister were talking about.

"Allison, what happened?" Teddy asked her daughter.

"I was talking to a friend—"

"Talking with his tongue inside your mouth and his hands on your hips?!" Owen said shouted.

"Owen, shut up! I'm talking to her!"

Allison gave an angry look at her father and continued her part of the story.

"I was with a friend and _your husband_ came to yell at me and take me by the arm humiliating me in front of all my friends!"

"Ok, first of all it's your father, miss. And second, are you sure you two were just talking?" Allison looked down at her lap biting her lip nervously. "Allison?"

"We were kissing, ok?! He's my boyfriend, there's nothing wrong with that! I'm 15 years old, I'm not a little girl anymore!"

Teddy and Owen shared a knowing look, their daughter was right, she was no longer a little girl, but for them she would always be their baby girl, it was emotional to see her grow up so fast, now she had a boyfriend, in a few years maybe she would've a fiancé, then a husband, children. It was too much, nobody prepared them for this moment.

"You are still too young to have a boyfriend!" Owen replied.

"Ok Owen, calm down." Teddy sat next to her daughter and took her in her arms. "Would you let me talk a moment with my daughter alone?"

"Teddy, this is something we have to talk all three together! Talk to her about consent, boundaries, investigate who that boy is—"

"I'm not stupid dad! I know what I want and a teenage pregnancy is not on my list. I know who he is, he loves me and respects me, or what? Are you afraid that he or anyone will hurt me and do to me what you did to mom?! Does Germany and your ex-wife ring a bell for you?!" Allison spat furiously and then ran to her room.

"Allison!" Teddy shouted behind her, but it was useless.

She and Owen shared an anguish look. "Who told her about Germany?" Owen asked confused.

Teddy just rolled her eyes and went in search of her daughter leaving Owen alone in the living room. Shortly after Daniel joined him.

"Dad, what did Allison mean about that that you hurt mom and your ex-wife?"

"Nothing, nothing important."

"Are you and mom getting a divorce?" The boy asked with fear in his voice.

"What?! No, no, no! Why do you say that?!"

The little boy just shrugged, Owen took him in his arms. "Your mom and I are good, I love her like crazy, I would never leave her or you, okay?" The little boy nodded wiping away the tears that escaped his crystal blue eyes and Owen gave him a tight hug.

Meanwhile upstairs Allison was crying in her bed hugging a pillow when Teddy came into her room. She sat on the bed and her daughter immediately laid her head in her lap.

"I hate him mom, I hate him!" Allison cried.

"Don't say that my love, you know it's not true, you're angry, don't let anger make you say things you don't feel."

"But I mean it. I wasn't doing anything wrong, besides... I'm not so angry about what he did to me, but more because I finally knew what he did to you."

"According to you. What did your dad do to me?"

"He went to Germany, used you, got you pregnant and then went back with his ex-wife and a foster kid. He chose them over us!"

"That's all? Who told you that?"

"There's more?! Mom, how could you—?"

"Who told you that, Allison?"

"I… I heard Dr. Pierce talk with that other brunette surgeon who came from New York, I think she is Dr. Grey's sister-in-law."

"Allison, listen to me." Teddy said helping Allison to sit on the bed and taking her both hands looking her in the eye. "What your father did, what _we_ did, because I also did many things, that has been left behind, and what you heard, or think you heard, is not even close to what really happened."

"So what happened?"

"Look, my love, that's between your dad and me, those were very difficult times for everyone. I didn't tell him that I was pregnant with you until I was 4 months pregnant and then I kept pushing him away even though he showed me again and again that he loved me and wanted to be with me, with us."

"But that was because you were scared, wasn't it? Scared that he might hurt you again, that he might leave you, that he might leave us!"

"Yes and no. Yes, I was scared that he might hurt me, but honey... your father, he has suffered so, so much in life; his father, your grandfather died when he was very young, your aunt Megan was kidnapped for years, we all thought she was dead, but not only that, your father and I saw terrible things in the war and he carried all that for years. Back then he was going through a very hard time, but I didn't know, he wanted to be with me, together get ready for your birth but I kept pushing him away instead of understanding or helping him, but you know what he did?"

"What?" Allison asked, wiping away her tears, listening carefully to all these things her mother was telling her and she didn't know.

"Being the proud man that your father is he sought help and swore _us, _when you were still inside my belly, that he would get better, for you and for me, and he swore it again the first time he held you in his arms, and again when your brother was born, he swore he would protect us with his life and that's what he has done since then. Your father is a good man, he—" Teddy couldn't help chuckling when she remembered those anecdotes. "He suffered from severe sunburns and was almost run over by a car at 3 in the morning because he went in search of my cravings when I was pregnant with you and your brother. Your dad loves us Allison, and he wants the best for us, for you, for your brother, for me."

"I didn't know anything about this, now I feel so bad."

"Your dad will understand. Now tell me who is this guy? Is your boyfriend?"

Allison smiled shyly. "Are you going to get mad like dad?"

"I'll try not to".

"Well… he, he is my boyfriend and he's a good boy, mom, I promise. In fact, I didn't meet him at school, I met him at the hospital, he is Dr. Cohen's son."

"Oh sure, Dr. Cohen, and?"

"Well, we've been friends for over a year and last week he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes. He is very good, mom, he makes me laugh a lot and he is very intelligent and I can talk to him about so many things, not like the dumb boys in my class, he always respects me, it was me who kissed him because he didn't want to push me to do it."

"Well, it sounds like a good boy."

"He is!"

"But he has to come ask your father for permission to go out with you."

"What?! Mom, this isn't 1845".

"I don't care, he has to come."

"After how my dad treat me in front of him? I doubt he wants to set foot in this house."

"I will talk to your father and force him to apologize."

"So... Does this mean I can have a boyfriend?" Allison asked enthusiastically.

"For me there is no problem, as long as you are careful. Allison, at your age hormones are out of control and you know what a simple kiss can lead to and— "

"Mom, I know, I know! I'm not stupid, I know what a kiss can lead to."

"Oh God, and to think that a few years ago you cried for candies and now I've to talk to you about condoms and pregnancies." Teddy said grimacing.

"Well, the day had to come." Allison replied with a shy shrug. "I won't do anything to disappoint you or dad, I promise."

"I know honey". Teddy said hugging her girl.

"Isn't there a hug for me?" Owen asked timidly from the door.

Allison looked at her mother. She smiled at her. "Dad… I think I owe you an apology, I didn't know what really happened before I was born. I shouldn't have talked to you like that."

"It's okay my love. It's me who owes you an apology, I shouldn't have embarrassed you in front of all your classmates." Owen replied joining Teddy and Allison in bed

Allison shrugged. "I don't care what they think."

"Then we're okay?"

Allison threw herself into her dad's arms. "I love you daddy. I'm so sorry".

"I love you too, my baby. Please understand your old father, it's difficult to accept that my baby girl is growing up. But tell me, what is that boy's name?"

"His name is Charles, he's Dr. Cohen's son."

"Cohen? As in plastic surgeon Cohen?"

"Yes, the same. Dad, I swear he's a good boy!"

"I believe you, princess. Well, I think I'll tell Cohen that his family is invited to dinner next Friday."

"Dad! You don't have to do that, just… don't get mad that Charles is my boyfriend." Allison said ashamed that her father wanted to throw a whole dinner for the Cohen just because she and Charles are dating.

"I said dinner the next Friday." Owen replied, firmly but sweetly.

Allison just rolled her eyes and flopped heavily on the bed groaning, making her parents laugh.


	12. Chapter 12

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**Rated "M" for mature content**_

_**Reviews are welcome**_

* * *

_**Kisses Everywhere**_

* * *

Teddy was on fire. She felt fire run through her body bristling each and every hair on her skin from the tip of her feet to the top of her head. She sweated, shuddered, and her heart pounded hard against her chest. She missed Owen. She _needed_ Owen.

He had been in a case in Chicago for two weeks and she couldn't take it anymore, she needed him, she needed him so much. She needed the feeling of his huge and rough hands on the skin of her legs. She needed the moisture of his lips kissing her lips, her neck, her breasts, her crotch.

The hormones of the second trimester were driving her completely crazy, they were turning her into a lust machine. She couldn't have enough of Owen, every chance she had she took him and he didn't put any resistance, on the contrary, seeing her so turned on just turned him on more. He was happy to know that she loved him and even more than willing to satisfy her.

Teddy and Allison were waiting for Owen in the waiting room at Tacoma Airport for Owen's arrival. Teddy was holding her daughter in her arms sitting on her bump, waiting impatiently for the doors to open and see Owen come out, her daughter asked hundreds of questions and spoke and spoke, but Teddy couldn't concentrate on everything her daughter said. She was too horny.

"Mommy, how long until Daddy arrives?"

"I... I don't know baby girl." Teddy answered distractedly.

"Mommy, I miss Daddy."

"Believe me baby, I miss him too."

"I don't want him to leave ever again!"

"Me neither".

Minutes later the doors opened, one by one the passengers were leaving. Teddy and Allison waited excitedly for Owen. Allison because she missed her daddy and Teddy because she needed her husband.

Finally, among the crowd Owen's imposing presence stood out, all muscles, red hair and black aviator sunglasses. As soon as Teddy saw him walk towards them her heart sped up and her core throbbed, sending electric currents throughout her body, making her shudder.

"DADDY!" Little Allison shouted, running to hug her daddy who took her in his arms, threw her lightly in the air to catch her and bathe her with kisses everywhere.

"Isn't there a kiss for me?" Teddy asked approaching him.

"All the kissed you want." Owen replied, taking her by the waist with his free arm, bringing her to him and kissing her gently.

"I missed you." Teddy whispered.

"Me too, how is my little boy?"

"Kicking like crazy." Teddy replied, cradling her 5 months' baby bump.

"Let's go home".

"Please!"

"I want ice cream!" Little Allison exclaimed.

"Well, let's get my little bear ice cream!" Owen said, always fulfilling his girls' wishes.

Teddy just bit her lips in frustration. The little family walked to the parking lot, after Owen put his little bear safely in her car seat before he could get in Teddy slammed him against the car door, pouncing on him and kissing him fervently.

"Well, I love my welcome!" Owen said.

"I love you so much, and I _need_ you so much!"

"Once Allison is asleep you have me all for you."

"I can't wait."

Once Teddy put Allison down to sleep she went in search of her husband who was in the living room making a call.

She took the opportunity to look in the mirror. She fixed her hair, her dress, accommodated her now fuller breasts in her bra and took off her panties. As a beast after her prey she walked towards Owen, not caring that he was still on the phone, she straddled his legs.

"Ok Megan, I'll call you later!" Owen immediately hung up the phone without caring that his sister was still talking.

Teddy took the phone and turned it off. "I don't want interruptions." She said seductively.

"I". She kissed him on the neck. "Missed". Then in the chest. "You." Then she caught his lips voraciously.

"I can see". Owen replied short of breath once they were forced to stop to take some air.

"I need you so badly that I'm going crazy." Teddy purred against the warm skin of Owen's neck feeling on her lips as his pulse was getting faster in his jugular vein.

"That has a solution." Owen replied stroking her legs painfully slowly, causing Teddy to shudder and moan softly, that was enough to fuel the fire completely.

Teddy opened Owen's shirt with impressive force not caring about some bottoms that flew away. She kissed his broad chest as he stroked her back up and down.

They were so aroused that their hearts bumped in their chest with overwhelming force, in their bodies a super thin layer of sweat made their skin glow. Teddy could feel how Owen's member grew beneath her and that only made her core vibrate more with desire and anticipation.

Teddy just cut the kiss to get rid of her dress and without thinking twice Owen got rid of her bra and attacked her breasts causing Teddy to groan loudly.

In a gentle movement Owen shifted position by laying Teddy on the sofa and hovering over her, kissing and licking her neck, her breasts. Going down kissing her rounded belly until he reached her belly button and going from there to her inner thighs making her complain, earning a slight blow on his side with her knee.

Owen loved to tease her, he knew it was frustrating but he also knew that she loved it. He kissed and licked the warm, soft skin of her inner thighs until without warning he placed a soft kiss on her crotch making her groan and arch her back.

Teddy caught Owen's head with her thighs to keep him there, not that he intended to back off without first making her finish. He kept kissing and licking her wet folds in a painfully slow way causing her to groan and gasp more and more, she was losing her mind, her words were incoherent, she was so close. One last lick and she came undone with a loud moan.

Without giving her time to recover from her mind blowing orgasm, Owen thrusted his dick in her, making her scream again. "Shhh, you'll wake up all the neighborhood!" Owen warned her laughing, covering her mouth with his hand. But Teddy was beyond understanding, her head was completely clouded with lust and ecstasy.

Owen began to trust her slowly. Teddy wrapped his hips with her legs and his neck with her arms, drawing him to her as much as possible, body with body. With each thrust Owen whispered in her ear how much he loved her and kissed her everywhere, as if he couldn't get enough of her.

Just as he was about to climax, Teddy changed her positions again by pushing Owen sitting on the sofa and she straddled him again. His favorite position Owen loved the view from this position, her breasts bouncing in front of him, ready to be kissed. He took one of her nipples between his lips, twirling his tongue around it, then to the other and then going down to her bump. They were so close. She ground her hips first slowly and then faster and faster until the two reached their climax at the same time, coming in a deafening orgasm that made them scream with pleasure.

Teddy dropped heavily on Owen's chest, sinking her face into his neck and giving him soft butterfly kisses as he stroked her soft, sweaty back.

"I love you so, so, so much." Teddy said, still dizzy with fulfillment.

Once the rush of lust diminished a little, Owen started his caresses again. "Now it's my turn". He said, mischievously.

He laid her back on the couch and kissed her everywhere, fueling again the fire on Teddy.


	13. Chapter 13

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

**_I had already published this as a one shot, so if you already read it you can go to the next chapter._**

**_If not, enjoy!_**

* * *

_**Lost On You**_

* * *

Knowing her was like a low blow, her presence was so powerful it was impossible not to turn to look at her. She was all golden waves, tanned skin, slender silhouette, a melodious voice and a beautiful pair of green eyes, but that beautiful pair of green eyes lacked all brightness and liveliness. Captain Altman's eyes were the saddest and holiest that Major Hunt had seen in his life.

Owen did not understand how such a beautiful creature could have such sad eyes. Although beautiful, she was tough, obedient to her superiors, shy with others, she did not socialize with anyone outside of work hours, once the work was done, she returned to her tent and didn't leave there until the next day. She almost didn't eat and in general all of her screamed for help, or at least for a hug. Owen wanted to hug her, wanted to know what was behind that tough and gloomy woman.

After a tiring day Owen returned to his room, lay on the bed looking at the ceiling and thinking about her. _Theodora_.

Today, after a couple of months here, someone had finally managed to make her smile, Megan. It was impossible not to smile at her bubbling and filter-less being. It was a small smile, but Owen could tell it was sincere, he could even notice a light spark in her eyes.

_What do you have inside? What torments you? What weight do you carry on your shoulders? Who left your heart so empty? Why are you so lost?_

Owen asked himself these and more questions, he wanted to know everything about her, since the first time he saw her he couldn't stop thinking about her, she and her enigmatic presence occupied her mind all the time, sometimes he couldn't concentrate well while working, especially if she was close. He was completely lost on her.

"What are you hiding, Altman?" Owen sighed. Just as he was about to turn off the light to sleep, he heard a sort of whimper outside his room.

He wasn't sure if it was actually someone crying, but he put all his attention to find out what it was and where the sound came from. Sure enough, they were crying.

Owen got out of bed, put on his boots and went out to see what was happening. Outside the silver moon was huge and bright and the sand shone like a diamond field covered by the dark mantle of the night. He tried to fix his vision to the sudden darkness, once his eyes managed to see beyond a few meters he scanned the place, but could not see anyone, however, he still heard the cries.

He followed the cries until, finally, behind a tent, a person sitting on the sand hugging its legs cried inconsolably.

"Hey, soldier, are you alright?" Owen asked approaching the person. The person rose immediately wiping the tears from its face with its hand. "Oh, Captain Altman, is everything alright?"

"Major, yes, I... good night, Major." Teddy turned around to leave, but Owen caught her arm.

"Captain, I'm serious, you were crying."

"It's nothing, I swear and I assure you it won't affect my job, I'm just... I'm having a moment."

Owen chuckled softly, giving a nice smile to Teddy. "I've had _a lot _of those moments, I understand you." Teddy said nothing, just looked at the floor. "Is there anything I can do for you? If you need someone to—"

"I'm fine!" Teddy hurried to say, sounding a little aggressive. Owen looked at her frowning. "Sorry, Major. Sorry, sorry!"

Owen placed his hand on Teddy's shoulder, under his touch he could feel she was shaking, even though the night was warm. "Hey, it's ok."

Teddy looked down and hugged herself. "Well I have to go. Tomorrow will be a busy day." Teddy left Owen standing there.

"This place drives everyone crazy." Owen blurted out when Teddy was about 3 meters from him.

She turned around frowning. "Are you saying I'm crazy?"

"What?! No! I mean... we all have moments of vulnerability and that's fine, we're human, but especially in this place, with everything we see every day that vulnerability is much more common than you think, but that doesn't mean we are weak or we are broken, that means we are human, that we feel."

Teddy sighed almost defeated and looked at the sky. "Sometimes I wish I couldn't feel. Close my eyes and stop feeling, close my eyes and never—"

"Don't say that". Owen intervened immediately, he knew what she was going to say. In his head he couldn't conceive the idea that she could think about that.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about that." Teddy replied, without a drop of emotion in her voice.

"More times than you can imagine." Owen said, taking a few steps toward her. "But then I think about all the reasons I have to live, my mother, my sister, my friends, the service I am giving to my country."

"At least you have reasons to go on… you have _no idea_ what it is to be completely alone. Good night, Major."

Again Owen stopped her before she could leave. "You don't want to _leave_."

"Oh, so now you know exactly how I feel? What else?"

"You are surrounded by weapons, if you wanted to _leave_ you would have done it a long time ago. You came here with a purpose beyond leaving and you know it."

"I don't know what my purpose is anymore." Teddy said unable to keep her voice from shaking.

"Altman... I mean, Theodora, isn't it?"

"Teddy, call me Teddy."

"Teddy." Owen repeated the name, tasting it in his mouth as the sweetest of words. "I like it, it suits you."

That made Teddy smile shyly. Since she had arrived at this place and had crossed eyes with Major Hunt something in him caught her attention. Although their first encounter was not exactly the most enjoyable, there was something about him that appealed her, something in his clear blue eyes, in his ginger hair, in his authoritarian temper, but at the same time so relaxed, something she couldn't name but that made her feel attracted. But it was useless, he had a fiancée.

"Come, let's go to a more comfortable place." Owen took her to one of the tents that served as a dining room and where luckily there was a dim light on. They took a seat.

"Teddy… I just want you to know that we are all going through something, that doesn't mean that I'm decreasing whatever it is that you are going through, on the contrary, I want you to know that whenever you feel the need to talk, don't hesitate to look for me, I know what it is to feel lost and not having anyone to vent, so… I don't know, if you want to talk or only if you want company, don't hesitate to look for me."

"That's very nice of you, Major Hunt."

"Owen, call me Owen... if we're going to be friends I would like you to call me by my name."

Teddy smiled again. "So now we're friends?" Teddy asked with a shy smile.

"If you want".

"Of course I want."

"Then friend... Why are you here?" Owen asked without knowing everything behind Teddy joining the army. He could notice how her face fell when he asked that question. "Ok, not that. What's your favorite color?"

"All my family died." Teddy replied and Owen was stunned. "My dad died two years ago, bone cancer. It was long and painful process, to see how every day this man that I knew, tall and strong was deteriorating more and more every passing day... physically and emotionally shattering my mother and me. Then, not even a year later my mother died, heart attack." Teddy chuckled humorlessly "I'm a damn cardiothoracic surgeon and a damn heart attack that took my mother away. And then…" Teddy's voice broke. "September 11".

Teddy took a few seconds to gather herself. Owen took her hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

"After my parents died the only family member I had left was Allison, we weren't related by blood, but for me she was my sister. She carried me after they died, she was always by my side at all times, always, since I met her. She loved birds, she was obsessed with birds." Teddy laughed slightly as she remembered Allison's love for birds and how she could recite more than 100 different types of birds in less than a minute. "She... she died in the second tower and I... I didn't know what else to do, I didn't know how to continue living in a city without my parents and without Allison, so when I heard that the army was recruiting I didn't hesitate and I enlisted, so here I am".

Owen felt a huge know in his throat after hearing this story, hearing this gave a completely different meaning to everything he had seen of Teddy. All that apparent toughness and pride were nothing more than brokenness, sadness and emptiness. She had no one. "So... you, you don't have anyone—"

"Nobody is waiting for me in America. I could die here and nobody would claim my corpse."

An icy chill ran through Owen's entire body. After Teddy's story both remained silent, sitting next to each other, but for some reason it wasn't uncomfortable, on the contrary, it was comforting.

"My father died when I was 10 years old." Owen said after a few minutes in silence. "It was the biggest blow of my life. I still remember that day as if it had been yesterday, that day I had won a science contest at school and couldn't wait to get home and show it to my mother and for my father came home from work to show him it too. I was _so_ happy and _so_ proud of myself... I came home and my mother was there, she looked different, she always received me with a smile, a kiss and a hug, but not that day, she took me by the hands, looked into my eyes and told me that my father had died. I never told her about the award, I felt guilty that I felt _so_ happy when she was torn apart by my father's death."

Teddy and Owen turned to see each other sharing a friendly smile and a sigh. It felt good to say out loud everything they had kept quiet inside. Teddy hadn't talked to anyone about her parents or Allison, and Owen had never told anyone, not even Beth, how was the day his father died. But for some reason neither of them found it strange or uncomfortable to open to each other, on the contrary, it was healing.

"I feel that no matter how old we are our parents will always be necessary." Teddy said. "At least you are lucky that you still have your mother and your sister."

"You're not alone anymore Teddy, you have a friend in me and Megan is determined to make you her new friend." This made Teddy laugh. "And I'm going to introduce you to the rest of our friends, Nathan, the other cardiothoracic surgeon, he's amazing too. And Daniel, he's my best friend. No one will ever replace your parents and Allison, but new friends have never hurt anyone."

"Thank you. Thanks for listening and for sharing. The same goes for you, when you want to talk I am here, you have a friend in me too."


	14. Chapter 14

_*****ENGLISH ISN'T MY LANGUAGE*****_

_**So, new chapter, let's se how it goes this time.**_

_**Also I'd like to ask you all for fic recomendaions, usually when at college i barely have time to study/homework, less for writing much less for reading for wich i feel really guilty and hypocritical i always ask you for support when i don't have time to support others, so now i've more time i'd like to read other people's work{**_

_**Anyway, enjoy, let me know what you think, an if you haven't read it, there's a new update of "Slipping T**_**_hrough My Fingers"_**

* * *

_**Mommy And The Christmas Lights**_

* * *

The place was majestic. Teddy had been to a few fancy hotels, but _nothing_ like this. The Shangari-La Hotel in Paris was something out of a fairy tale, since the arrival, the Altman-Hunt family was received with royal-like treatment, however, there was something that had been bothering Teddy practically since they left their apartment in Seattle; and even, for some days now.

While Owen filled the papers of their rental car at the reception, Teddy entertained little Allison in front of the ridiculously huge Christmas tree that was in the hotel lobby. It was breathtaking, and little Allison shrieked and clapped in excitement at the sight of so many lights and ornaments wanting to grab them in her tiny, chubby hands.

"Oh no, no, no my little cub. That's not for you to touch." Teddy said moving away a little from the tree so that Allison didn't reach the ornaments. She threatened to throw a tantrum, but all it took was for Teddy to repeatedly kiss her pink cheeks to make her laugh again. Her contagious baby laugh echoing throughout the lobby earning sweet looks and smiles from people passing by.

"_DA-DA, DA-DA!_" Little Allison shrieked as soon as she saw her daddy approaching them.

Owen didn't hesitate to take his little girl in his arms, throw her lightly in the air and kiss her cute cheeks. "That's it, my little bear, I am da-da."

Teddy looked at her girl and her love tenderly. "She wanted the tree ornaments."

"Of course she did!" Owen laughed kissing her girl again. "Ready? I was thinking of starting with something relaxed today, maybe going to the Champs Elysees, walk a couple of blocks, so Allison can look at the lights and have some dinner there. What do you think?" Owen asked extremely eager.

He had planned this trip for months, almost shortly after Allison was born, he wanted something special for their first Christmas as a family of three and for Allison's birthday, so he thought of Paris, everything he had planned was perfect, Teddy knew nothing until a few days ago, neither the destination, until they arrived at the airport.

Luxury plane tickets with a private premier cabin, a huge suite in a luxury hotel just a few meters from Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower and access to the best attractions in Paris. However, he couldn't help noticing that Teddy didn't seem as excited, or at least, not as much as he imagined she would be.

Teddy just shrugged, pursing her lips and nodding as an approval. That hurt Owen.

"Ok, what the hell is going on?! Since we left Seattle, you haven't stopped complaining about everything. First the Premium plane tickets, then the food, when French food is your favorite, then the weather, when you love the cold and the snow, then the suite, now what is it?!" Owen ranted raising his voice.

Teddy's filled with tears, seeing this Owen placed Allison in her stroller to give his attention to Teddy. They had to get to the bottom of this or this trip would be a hell.

"Teddy, just tell me what happens. I prepared all this with so much love and now…"

Teddy threw herself into Owen's arms, crying softly. "If I tell you, you will think that I'm the most idiotic person in the world." She sobbed with her face hidden in his neck.

"You know I won't think that, but I'd rather you tell me what happens to be imagining things." Owen responded by stroking her back and cradling her head.

Teddy pulled back, wiping her tears with her hand. "It's so stupid that I feel so guilty that this is ruining our trip."

"Just tell me." Owen insisted sweetly.

She took a deep breath. "Allison will be one-year-old in a couple of days and… oh my god, this is so stupid! And she hasn't said _mom_ once."

Owen didn't know how to react. Anyone would think that, in fact, it was something stupid, but he knew that the feelings and emotions of a mother are always different, he had learned it since they became parents. Teddy saw everything different and felt everything with more intensity, he too, that little bundle of joy had come to change their lives and make them see life in a completely different way.

Owen sighed and smiled sweetly. "My love, that's not stupid, nor true either. Allison calls for you all the time when you're not there!"

"That's a lie, I've never heard her. All she says is _da_, among other babbling, but not mom!"

"Teddy, that time you went to Stanford to give your lectures, all Allison cried was for her mommy! If you don't believe me ask Miranda."

"You are telling me all that to make me feel better." She hiccupped, Owen found it almost adorable to see her in a pool of tears for this. But since she had come back to work, Teddy had felt insecure if it was the best and if she was providing quality time for her daughter.

"I swear on Allison that I'm not lying." Owen took her by the waist bringing her to him and kissing her forehead. "Maybe she doesn't need to call you because she knows you are her mommy, that's why she only calls you when you're not around and she doesn't see you."

Teddy laughed. "That's the worst explanation, Owen Hunt!"

"Hey, but at least grant me that I made you laugh, you didn't smile since we left the apartment."

Teddy sighed. "Oh, I know and I'm sorry, please, please, please forgive me. Sorry for ruining this trip with my stupid feelings of new hurt mom. I swear I'll make it up to you. I love you, I love you so much and I appreciate this trip so much… well, maybe not so much the suite. My love, that room is ridiculous, it's more than twice as big as our apartment, moreover, our entire apartment would fit in the bathroom!"

Owen laughed out loud and kissed her on the lips. "You and our daughter deserve that and more. I wanted this trip to be a dream, so I planned everything to be perfect. You just wait to appreciate the view from the terrace at night, it will take your breath away."

"And I already ruined it." Teddy grimaced.

"You didn't ruin anything; this is the first of ten perfect days I've planned."

"I don't know how you deal with me, you're my hero." Teddy said lovingly hugging Owen.

"Well, you already dealt with _a lot_ of my crap for a long time."

This made Teddy laugh too. "I love you so much and thanks for this trip. Please, let's leave my tantrum behind."

"It's not a tantrum, they are legitimate feelings. But you're right, let's enjoy this trip. Are we leaving?"

"I think a certain little cub is not dealing very well with jet lag." Teddy pointed to Allison who was already sound asleep in her stroller, tightly hugging her beautiful stuffed bird that her granny Evelyn had given her on Thanksgiving and that in just a few days had become her favorite.

Owen groaned. "Oh, she will be up all night!"

"I told you it wasn't a good idea to let her sleep so much on the plane."

"We will deal with that with a delicious glass of champagne and a beautiful view of Paris at night."

"I cannot wait!"

Then the small family left the hotel to Champs Elysees where as soon as they parked and got out of the car, little Allison woke up in awe with the lights of the trees on the great avenue. She smiled enthusiastically, the small luminous dots reflected in her huge green eyes.

"Do you like the lights, my little bear?" Owen baby talked to Allison, holding her in his arms and taking her closer to the lights, she reached out her arms opening and closing her little hands, squealing to grab them.

Returning his little bear to her stroller, the three walked down some blocks of the beautiful avenue until they found the perfect place for dinner. A luxurious and cozy restaurant of French food. At first Teddy resisted arguing that it was too much for a dinner, but Owen managed to convince her. Thus the family was taken to a table in a nice, cozy and dimly lit corner.

"Owen, this is too much, have you seen the prices?! With what you will pay here, we could pay a month's rent!"

"I'm telling you it's no problem, if I didn't have money I wouldn't have suggested this place in the first place. I know my finances."

"At least let me pay the half, I mean, it's a family trip." Teddy insisted.

"Nothing. This is _my_ gift for you, you already gave me my gift." He kissed Allison on the head. "I know this doesn't compare at all, but enjoy mine now."

"I just can't help thinking that with all the money you will spend we could pay for all of Allison's college."

Owen laughed and then took her hand. "Teddy, we work our asses off every day, more than 12 hours and sometimes more than 24, it is only fair that we reward ourselves from time to time. Besides, we are good at our work, we earn very good money, give me a year and I will have back what I've spent and I'll spend on this trip. Money is ephemeral, not all the money in the world would buy what I felt when I saw Allison so excited about the lights or the Christmas tree. Or you, eating macarons as if the world was going to end."

Teddy screamed with laughter. "I can't believe you find it endearing to see me eat macarons!"

"I find it endearing to see you sleep, see you talk, see you work, see you take care of our daughter, see you nursing her… see you." They kissed passionately.

Then they asked for dinner and had a great time, it really was the perfect vacation, and they were just starting, and although Teddy still felt a little down, she also knew that sooner or later Allison would say the long-awaited word.

At mid-dinner, Allison began to get somewhat fussy, she refused to eat her chicken and mashed potatoes with veggies. She kept pointing towards the window where the tree lights were visible. Soon she started whimper and stir in her high chair.

They started to get some glances from some people so Teddy decided that it was best to take Allison out until the tantrum was over.

Teddy took her little girl in her arms, took hers and her baby girl's coat, along with their hats and left the restaurant. As soon as Allison saw the lights, her tantrum stopped.

It was magical to see her so excited at something as insignificant as Christmas lights. It was there that Teddy understood that Owen was right, money is ephemeral, no money could buy these beautiful moments.

"Are you enjoying the lights my love? Just wait until you see the Eiffel Tower, you're going to want to take it home!" The little girl shrieked. "Your daddy has you so spoiled that if he could buy you the tower he would do it."

"_Wer!_" Allison babbled.

"Yes, baby, the tower."

Suddenly Teddy felt someone hugged her from behind and kissed her neck. She smiled and leaned her body against Owen's chest, who hugged his girls tightly.

"The waiter agreed to change us to a table by the window so Allison can look at the lights."

"Why do I feel that he didn't offer it, but you asked for it? Or rather, you demanded it."

"I didn't!"

"Owen, you have Allison so spoiled that you'd be capable of taking the tree to the hotel just so she can look at the lights until she goes blind!"

"Hey, I just want to give my little bear the best." He argued by squeezing Allison's cheeks.

"Giving her the best is not synonymous of giving her what she wants. You will make her a materialistic monster!"

"I swear I'll start setting boundaries."

"Yeah, sure." Teddy scoffed. "You are the one who needs boundaries!"

"Well, let's go inside, it's freezing out here!"

Just as the family headed inside the restaurant Teddy felt a cold sensation on her face. She looked up at the sky and gasped. It was snowing.

"Oh my God, it's snowing!" Teddy exclaimed blissfully.

"It's her first snowfall!" Owen said, referring to it was the first time Allison saw snow.

"It's snowing my love! Do you see this?!" Teddy baby talked to Allison and took her tiny hand in hers so she felt the snowflakes.

"It's snow, my love!" Owen gushed to Allison. "You were conceived during a snowstorm." He whispered to Teddy in the ear earning a blow on the ribs.

At first Allison seemed unbothered, until a snowflake fell on her nose making her laugh. Then another and another, until she wanted to catch them with her hands, just like with the lights.

"It's snowing my love!"

"_Uwin mama, uwin_!" Allison babbled leaving her mother astonished.

"Did she?" Teddy sighed in a trembling voice. Owen nodded energetically.

Teddy kissed her baby on the cheeks repeatedly making Allison to squeal again and again "_uwin mama_", pointing to her mommy that it was snowing.

"Yes baby, it's snowing." Teddy sobbed hugging her baby tightly against her chest.

Teddy's mood changed completely. The little family returned to the restaurant to finish their dinner along with a delicious dessert while little Allison kept marveling at the lights and snow.

Later they returned to the hotel with a deeply asleep Allison, they laid her down in the bassinet that the hotel staff had brought them and while Owen took a quick shower, Teddy watched the incredible view of Paris from the terrace of their hotel suite.

It was amazing, she almost felt that if she reached out her hand she could touch the Eiffel tower that rose only a few meters away, shining brightly, thinking how crazy Allison would go when she saw it.

Soon after, Owen went to the terrace hugging his woman tightly from behind, kissing her neck, one of his favorite spots, and breathing her in.

"Allison will go crazy when she sees the Eiffel tower." Teddy sighed, letting Owen kiss her neck.

"I can't wait to see her face."

Teddy turned in his arms, circling her arms around his neck. "Tonight was magnificent. Thank you."

"Wait for the days to come." He replied by kissing her gently on the lips. "_Je t'aime_." Owen whispered against her lips in his _very_ _bad_ French, causing Teddy to laugh.

"That's not how it's said!"

"What?! I did my best, I'm not French. Let's see, how about _tha gaol agam ort(*)_?" Teddy stared at him frowning. "It's _I love you_ in Gaelic Scottish. And you can't say it's wrong, I've Scottish heritage, remember." Owen said, with a hint of pride.

Teddy smiled broadly, taking Owen's face in her hands and kissing him fervently. "_Je t'aime aussi_." she said in her _perfect_ French.

"That sounded so hot. Say it again."

"_Je t'aime aussi_."

They began to kiss passionately heading inside the suite stumbling, throwing themselves on one of the sofas, but just when they were about to go further, little Allison woke up with a loud "_Mama!_"

Teddy rolled her eyes and climbed down from Owen's chest to go the room where her little girl was.

"You wanted her to say mom, don't complain now." Owen mocked her. Teddy took a cushion from one of the sofas and threw it at Owen right in the face.

When she entered the room Allison was sitting in the bassinet that Owen had placed right by the window. She was ecstatic looking at the Eiffel Tower's twinkling lights, she shrieked and babbled _mama_ while pointing out the window.

Teddy took her in her arms watching the twinkles of the tower through the window, dying more of love for her little bear every time she said _mama_. These would definitely be a dreamy trip.

* * *

**(*) I don't know if that's the way _I love you_ it's said in Gaelic Scottish, I only google it, if not, a huge apology**


	15. Chapter 15

_**I just want to clarify something, although it's supposed to be clear already, but still. The events don't occur in the same timeline as in the series**_

_**I hope it is not confusing. But as I said at the beginning if anyone has any doubt, you can leave it in the comments. Or wait until everything is updated to read it in order, so it will make a little more sense.**_

* * *

_**Need You Now**_

* * *

"Teddy, wait!" Owen asked Teddy as he hurried after her through the corridors of the Grey Sloan Memorial. He tried to take her by the arm, but she flinched away until he finally rushed past her and stood in front of her. She crashing slightly against his broad chest.

"What do you want, Owen? Just leave me alone! You already said it yourself, this is a crap situation!" She fired back. She tried to get out of Owen's way again, but again he blocked his way.

"That's not fair, Teddy. You know what I meant."

She laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, you were probably referring to your very real family." She said mockingly. "Stop playing. Do you really want me to believe the story that miraculously your love for me resurrected? After you lost Leo, Betty and Amelia whom you called your family? I'm not stupid Owen."

She finally managed to get out of Owen's way, but he followed her determined to make her listen to him. In a gentle movement he took her arm and pushed her into an on-call room, closing the door behind them.

"Just listen to me please. I beg you, for our baby I beg you."

Teddy looked furious. This whole situation had her on the edge. Finding that Owen had formed an instant family just weeks after having been in Germany professing his love was a low blow. She just wanted to get out of all this mess, she wanted to stop feeling all this anger and all this pain that Owen was causing her.

"Three minutes." Teddy said harshly.

"Teddy… first of all I want you to know that everything I said in Germany was true, each and every word was true. I love you Teddy, you are the love—"

"Please Owen! Stop lying!"

"Just listen! I know I shouldn't have done and said _many_ of the things I did and said after that night in Germany. But Teddy... that night... that night marked me for a lifetime. I came back completely destroyed, I tried to find comfort and-and-and the best I could think of was adopting a baby. Then Leo came into my life, then Amelia offered to help me with him, I swear I never asked her to!"

"And yet, she ended up in your bed again."

"Yes, yes, but… I know it's no excuse, but, I was in a very bad state of mind. I tried to seek comfort in whatever it was that offered me a minute of happiness, of the happiness I felt by your side, that I feel by your side, and I regret it, I regret having used Amelia as a consolation prize after Germany, I regret having hurt her and I already apologized to her. But the forgiveness of who I _really_ care about is yours."

Teddy sat on the bed sighing heavily, holding her head in her hands. "I don't know Owen, I don't know if it'll be easy to forget everything I lived after that night in Germany and when I came here and met you with your instant family. It hurts too much to forget just like that."

Owen knelt in front of her taking her trembling hands in his. "And I'm not asking you to forget it, but… please give me a chance, I beg you. I'm already looking for help, for you and our baby. I want to be in the best mental shape by the time he or she is here. I want to be the best for you too. Just give me a chance, it's all I ask."

"What you did to me and what you did to Amelia is not fair."

"I know, and I _deeply_ regret it. But I want to amend my mistakes, and continuing with Amelia would've been a mistake. We were together just because of Leo and Betty, and although I tried to convince myself that it was for her, when Leo and Betty were gone it made it very clear that we were just trying to force something. I don't want to waste any more time, Teddy. I love you and only you. Please let me prove it."

"And I love you too." Teddy said in a shaky voice. "But... How can I know that you won't do the same again?"

"I swear by my mother, by Megan, for what I love most in the world that are you and our baby, that I am serious. I need you to believe me. I need you."

She remained silent for a few seconds, as if analyzing the words Owen had just told her. "So, you are going to therapy."

Owen smiled sweetly at her, happy that she acknowledged it. "Yeah, I've only had a few sessions, I still have a long way to go, but as I said... I want to be the best for you and our baby."

Teddy placed her hand on Owen's cheek. "I'm glad you finally decided to do it. I know how hard it is for you when people tells you to, it must have been a difficult step to take."

"It was, but seeing it in hindsight, it helped me make peace with my mistakes, apologize, and truly fight for what I love. To fight for you and our baby."

Teddy cupped Owen's face looking him straight in the eye. "I don't know where this will lead and I'm scared of what I will say, but… I want to try. I love you Owen, you know it, even when I want to smash your face against the pavement I love you. And I need you, I need you with me on this trip so unknown to me that is pregnancy. I've lived in fear since the day I knew I was pregnant."

This time it was Owen's turn to take Teddy's soaked in tears face in his hands. "You have nothing to fear, you saw on the last ultrasound that our baby is perfect. And I will be with you every step of the way from now on, all the time you will have me with you, you have nothing to fear."

Teddy threw herself into Owen's arms, crying softly, unloading the weight she had been carrying for a few months now. "I love you." She whispered in his ear and he returned a kiss on her head.

They pulled back smiling and crying at the same time. Owen couldn't contain the desire and brought his hands to Teddy's belly, in which a perfect curvature of their growing 20-week baby was already formed. "I can't wait to make up for everything." Teddy leaned back a little and Owen brought his face to her bump, placing his hands on each side and then a soft kiss.

"I feel it will be a girl." Owen commented smiling and kissing Teddy's belly again, making her laugh.

"What makes you think that?!" She laughed.

"I don't know. You look like a woman who breeds girls." This made Teddy laugh loudly.

"Should I give you a biology and genetics lesson? You are the one who determines sex, Mr. XY!"

"Ok, I worded it wrongly. You look like someone who would be a perfect mom of girls. I don't know, it will sound stupid, but I've always thought it. You are so sweet, badass and intelligent at the same time, you would be the perfect mom for a girl."

Teddy's smile failed and her eyes filled with tears again. "So what if it's a boy?" She asked, leaning forward, getting closer to Owen who was still knelt in front of her.

"Then he will be the sweetest and smartest boy in the world."

"And badass like his daddy." She added almost crying.

"I'd prefer badass like his mommy."

The distance between Teddy and Owen grew shorter and shorter, until their lips joined in a soft kiss.

"I'll make up for everything, I swear." Owen sighed against her lips.

"You can start now. I need you, I need you now." She replied, taking Owen's scrubs shirt by the hem, making it clear exactly what she needed, at least for the moment.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Thanks to everyone for your support!**_

* * *

_**On The Top Of The World**_

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"Daddy, why does mommy go to the toilet so often?" Little Allison asked her father while they both waited in the hall for Teddy to come out the bathroom. They were about to leave when she had to make a little stop before leaving home.

"Because... because the baby makes her go to the toilet a lot." Owen replied.

"And why?"

"Well, you'll see." Owen knelt in front of his girl. "Your little sibling grows up here." He pointed to Allison's tummy. "And the bladder is just below, so the baby pushes mommy's bladder and that's why she has to go to the toilet so often."

"Wow!" The little girl exclaimed, her eyes wide open in amazement. She was the most curious girl. "Can you show it to me on your cell phone?!"

"Not now, baby." He tapped her nose. "We have to go now, we'll go see the baby on the ultrasound. Aren't you excited? Maybe today we can know if you will have a little brother or sister."

The little girl just shrugged. Lately she hadn't been thrilled with the idea of a new sibling, Teddy and Owen went out of their way to not make her feel replaced, so it occurred to them to include her in everything related to the baby.

"Daddy, can I have a cell phone or a tablet?"

Allison had recently discovered the wonders of the internet, tablets and cell phones, however, neither Teddy nor Owen wanted her to become a monster child co-dependent on an electronic device. They detested the idea that their child couldn't do practically any activity if she didn't have a tablet in front of her entertaining her, as they saw so often when they went out to restaurants and the children preferred to be in front of the electronic device than eating or talk with their parents, or much worse, children lost on the cell phone in the middle of the playground.

"No, I think it won't be possible, you're still too little to have such an expensive device." Owen replied in his best dad voice.

"But all children have one!" Allison argued.

Owen sighed. Despite his reluctance he also understood that times were changing, much of what was entertaining for him as a child, it wasn't for the next generation and certainly not for Allison. Probably soon they would have to give in, but not before a few rules about the use of the much-desired device.

"I'll think about it, ok? But you have to be a very good girl." Owen warned her.

"I will, I promise Daddy!"

Owen laughed and stood up, lifting his girl in his arms.

"Ready?!" Teddy joined her little family in the hall, ready to go to the Grey Sloan for their appointment.

Once there, Owen took a sit by the bed where Teddy was lying and sat little Allison in his lap, but she was very quiet. Her little face on her daddy's chest and her arms drawn to her chest. Teddy, Owen and Carina shared a look, so the latter had an idea.

Teddy had told Carina of her fear that Allison would feel replaced and how they had decided to include her in more activities related to the baby. "I still remember Allison's ultrasounds." Carina said and as soon as she heard her name, the little girl looked at her warily.

"Hey Allison, you look at this?" Carina pointed to a part of the monitor.

"Yeah." The little girl replied.

"What does it look like?" Owen asked.

She looked at the screen carefully for a couple of seconds. "A hand?"

"That's right, baby!" Teddy laughed and reached out to stroke Allison's head making her smile shyly but clearly looking more comfortable and interested. She no longer had her face in Owen's chest, she was sitting straight looking directly at the monitor.

"Can you guess what size your sibling's hand is?" Carina asked.

Allison analyzed her own hand. "Like mine?" Everyone in the room chuckled.

"No, the size of its hand is about two or three centimeters." Carina pointed out.

"Wow! Daddy, how long is 3 centimeters?"

"More or less like this." Owen replied, pointing with his thumb and index finger about how long were 3 centimeters.

"Mommy, that's too tiny!" Allison giggled.

"I know, my love!" Teddy replied as excited as her daughter. "But your sibling still has about 17 or 20 more weeks to grow. Now he or she is the size of a banana!" That made Allison laugh out loud.

"Daddy, the baby is a banana!" Allison gushed.

"You were also a banana!" Owen kissed Allison's head and shared a look with Teddy, remembering how it was also at the appointment of the 20th week when they discovered they were having a baby girl.

"Can we know the sex?!" Teddy questioned, taking Owen's hand eagerly.

Carina looked closely at the monitor, moving the handle through Teddy's belly. "Congratulations, it's a healthy baby boy!"

"No, why?!" Allison whined.

"What's wrong with that, little bear?!" Owen asked.

"Because I don't want to. I want a sister to play!"

The adults shared a look again. Carina finished the ultrasound and approached Allison.

"Hey little one, having a brother is not so bad. I have a younger brother and I also wanted a sister."

"And why did you have a brother?" Allison asked, still upset.

"Because one cannot choose, little one. You only accept what you are given and learn. Having a brother is wonderful, you'll see. And you will fight, all siblings fight, no matter if they are sister or brother, but he will always defend you too." Carina took Allison's little hands. "You are very, very lucky to have a brother in your life, I spent many years without mine, and now that I am with him I am very, very, very happy to have him."

"But he won't want to play dolls with me." Allison sighed.

"I played dolls with auntie Megan!" Owen pointed, remembering how Megan always forced him to play with her.

Teddy stroked her soft copper curls. "I will play dolls with you as many times as you want, my love." Allison seemed to accept it, or at least understand that a brother was not so bad.

After the ultrasound, Teddy and Owen let Allison decide where they would go for lunch, then went for an ice cream and finally to granny Evelyn's house to tell her the good news.

Later at night, when they came back home Teddy tucked Allison to sleep, but not before telling her a story. "_Big sisters are the best_" was the selection of the night.

"Mommy, then, will I teach my brother new things?" Little Allison queried, snuggling closer to her mommy.

"Yes my love, you will be like a teacher to your brother. You will teach him many, many things!"

"Like what things?"

"Hmm, you can teach him to speak, for example, teach him to say words."

"I will teach him to say my name!" Allison giggled excited.

"That's a great idea, my little bear!" Allison smiled broadly. "You can talk to him too, he can hear you already." Teddy patted her round tummy.

Allison looked at her warily, then put her face in front of her bump, Teddy took her hand and put it on top. "Hello brother, I'm Allison, your big sister." Just then the baby kicked against his sister's hand, making her laugh loudly. Allison didn't want to sleep until she couldn't feel her brother moving anymore.

Once the little girl was sound asleep, Teddy returned to her room where Owen was already waiting for her to sleep. It had been a day full of emotions, however, with Allison's reaction they had no chance to absorb in the news that they expected a baby boy.

"So... we are having a baby boy. Can you believe it?!" Owen marveled.

"We are having a baby boy." Teddy responded in amazement, as if just letting the idea sink in.

"We are having a baby boy!" Owen repeated, hugging Teddy lifting her off the floor and twirling her in the air. "Oh my god, oh my god, a boy! Not that I don't love my princess, she is the light of my life, but this is amazing, our family will be amazing!"

"I'm so happy, Owen." Teddy cried.

"You make me so happy. Our children make me so happy. You make me feel like the luckiest man, you make me feel on top of the world."


	17. Chapter 17

_**I'm so happy you're liking these little fics, thanks for your reviews!**_

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_**Puppies And Cookies**_

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"Girls, I'm home!"

Owen shouted when he opened the front door but neither Teddy nor Allison were there to welcome him. He assumed they would still be, if not sleeping, probably curled up in bed. It was Saturday morning and still early, only 8:30 am, and he was coming home from his night shift, luckily a quiet one.

"Teddy?! Allison?! Girls, where are you?!"

Owen went to the kitchen, but there was no one there, then he went to the bedrooms when he heard whispers coming from Allison's room.

_"Hide it mommy, hide it!"_

"Hey, what are you doing?" Owen asked when he opened the door to Allison's room. Teddy and the little girl turned to see him, surprised, as if they had been caught in the middle of something.

"Honey! Good thing you're here." Teddy greeted Owen, going to him and kissing him on the lips. "Come on, let's go to the kitchen, help me make breakfast."

However, for Owen it didn't go unnoticed how Allison didn't go to greet him, instead she stayed in bed holding the covers against her chest. "Something happens? Won't you give daddy a kiss?"

"Later." Allison replied.

Owen looked at Teddy frowning, he didn't understand anything. "Something happens here. You two are hiding something."

"Us?" Teddy laughed nervously. "Of course not!"

"Yes, you." Owen walked to Allison's bed. He was sure they were hiding something there.

"NO!" Little Allison shrieked. But just then another type of shriek was heard.

"What was that?" Owen asked.

"What?" Teddy pretended not to have heard anything.

The wail again. Owen looked at where the sound came from, just under Allison's covers. The little girl looked at him with her eyes full of terror.

"Is that... is that a puppy?"

Having no choice, Allison lifted the sheets revealing the tiniest, sweetest and dirtiest puppy Owen had ever seen. He approached them, the little dog was shaking, had wounds on his skin and apparently an infection in one of his eyes.

"Why didn't you want to tell me about this?!" Owen asked.

"Because you said you didn't want dogs at home." Allison replied.

Owen sighed and sat on the bed next to Allison. "Baby, I didn't say I didn't want dogs, I said that not for now. Your little brother will be born very soon and he and you will require a lot of care and a puppy also requires a lot of care."

Teddy sat on the bed next to Owen. "I told her that and she understands, but look at him, Owen. We found him last night that we went for a walk and I didn't have the heart to leave him on the street."

Owen smiled at Teddy and Allison. Then he examined the puppy. The poor looked so hurt and scared. Owen wouldn't have had the heart to leave him on the street either.

"Teddy, you will give birth any second now! A dog is a big responsibility too."

"But he will be mine!" Little Allison argued. "He will be my baby." Owen laughed. "Please, daddy, don't send him back to the street!"

Teddy, Allison and the puppy had him cornered. His girls looked at him with their huge green eyes and a pout. And the little puppy was trembling between the sheets while Allison rubbed his little body to warm him up.

"It can be a great opportunity to teach Allison about responsibilities." Teddy pointed out.

"Whatever I say isn't going to matter, isn't it?" Owen said and his girls smiled. "You two are impossible."

"Then he can stay?!" Allison asked, excited.

"With one condition. He will be _all_ your responsibility, young lady. You will be in charge of playing with him, taking care of him, teaching him where to pee and poo and cleaning after him."

"Yes, yes, yes! I will do all, all of that!"

"But first we have to take this good boy to the vet. He doesn't look ok and has to be checked, bathed and vaccinated. Are we?"

"Yes, daddy!" Allison exclaimed throwing herself into her daddy's arms.

"Thank you." Teddy said giving him a soft kiss. He knew that she also had a lot to do and knew perfectly well that if Allison didn't she would've fought to keep the puppy.

After breakfast, the three-now four-soon to be five went to the nearest veterinarian. The poor puppy was very badly nourished and hurt. He was given medications, his vaccines and a warm bath that left him like new. They bought a big fluffy bed for the new family member, blankets, toys, food and treats. With much care and love in no time he would be fully recovered.

"Daddy, we have to choose a name." Allison said, kneeling next to Owen who accommodated the little puppy in his brand new bed in the kitchen.

"And which one do you propose, my love?"

"I don't know, mommy and I thought of many, isn't it, mommy?"

"Oh, the list is quite long." Teddy replied.

"So you had thought of names even before discussing whether he would stay or not?" Owen questioned his girls with a fake angry look

"Will you get mad if I say yes?" Teddy bite her lip shrugging.

Owen laughed. "I give up with you two!" He rose from the floor and went to Teddy, placing his hands on her big 9-months baby bump. "I can't wait for this little boy to be born to team up with me."

"Are you sure her will be on your side?" Teddy frowned an eyebrow at him.

That night everyone went to sleep, happy for the very productive day, for having rescued a tiny puppy from the horrors of living on the street.

"I doubt Allison is going to sleep tonight." Teddy commented, resting in Owen's arms.

"Hmmm, you can be sure she'll be up very early in the morning to find out how the puppy is doing."

Then they heard a rumble in the kitchen. Immediately both rose and rushed to see what was happening.

They found Allison on the floor of the kitchen, sitting cross-legged next to the puppy, next to her was a stool lying on the floor. In her hands the little girl had several packages of cookies and a few more in the puppy's bed.

"Allison, what's all this?!" Her mother asked when she saw the disaster.

"Don't get angry, please!" Allison pleaded with a pout. "I came to the kitchen to see how he was doing and I saw that he was sad so I decided to give him cookies. Cookies always make me happy."

Neither Owen nor Teddy could be angry with their little girl. Owen picked up the mess and sat on the floor next to his daughter. "Baby, he can't eat cookies, that's why he has his own food and treats."

"But daddy, everyone loves cookies!"

"I know, baby, but a puppy can't eat that, at least not now. Maybe when he is older you can treat him."

"I just don't want him to be sad, daddy."

"He's a little sick, but you'll see that when he feels better he will be running after you all over the house."

"Ok, daddy. Daddy, can I take the cookies for me?"

They were really impossible, Allison was as stubborn as her mother. "Just two cookies. No more."

"Ok, daddy. Daddy, can I take the puppy to my bedroom? I don't want him to be all alone here."

Owen sighed deeply. "Only while he recovers." He warned her.

Teddy and Owen shared a look. They knew that _while he recovers_, would really mean _forever_. But Owen couldn't deny his girls anything, they were his adoration, so if they wanted puppies and cookies, they would have puppies and cookies.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Love you all! :)**_

* * *

_**Questions, Questions, Questions…**_

* * *

They were finally home. It had been a few chaotic days. Little Daniel's birth had thrown everyone for a loop. At first everything had been, although a little unexpected, very quiet. They even took little Allison to the delivery room to be with her mommy, getting many, many kisses and cuddles with her.

However, things don't always turn out as expected. There was a turn in the road, Teddy's blood pressure skyrocketed, putting her and the little baby in danger. So to avoid future complications such as seizures, stroke or even the death of both, she and the baby, it was decided to take her immediately to the OR to perform a C-section.

Luckily there everything went as planned and after a few days in the hospital finally mom and baby were discharged.

As soon as they arrived, Allison didn't want to separate a single second from her mommy and her baby brother. She was amazed with him, how small and sweet he was.

"Mommy, why does he sleep so much?" Allison watched his brother sleep in the bassinet next to her parents' bed.

"Because he is a baby, babies sleep a lot."

"Did I slept a lot too?"

"A lot!" Teddy smiled.

Allison laid her chin on the edge of the bassinet, stroking her baby brother's cheek with her index finger very, very softly, looking at him tenderly causing her mother's crazy hormones to make her cry. She was so happy to have her two little ones here and healthy and see how much Allison loved her brother, especially after how she feared her girl would feel replaced, and how scary her labor was.

Owen couldn't help smiling broadly when he entered the room and looked at such a scene, sharing an emotional look with Teddy.

After Owen, Jack, their rescued puppy ran in.

"Allison, keep an eye on him!" Teddy warned his daughter, they were still house training the puppy, she would hate the dog peeing in Daniel's bassinet.

"Yes, mommy!" Allison took the little puppy in her arms. "He's my baby." She cradled him in her arms and rocked him making her parents laugh. "Look Jack, he is my baby brother!" The little girl introduced her brother to Jack by approaching him to the bassinet. "He's very cute, isn't he?"

"Put him a little closer, so he can smell him and meet him." Owen instructed his daughter.

The little girl did what her father said. Immediately the puppy began to smell the new member of the family with much interest, wagging his tail and then let out a kind of howl, still very raw and shaky, making Daniel mewl softly.

Then Owen took his son and placed him in Teddy's arms. "She will be an amazing big sister." He whispered as he sat next to her on the bed, bringing her closer with his protective arm.

"She will be, I'm so proud of her."

"Mommy, where is Jack's mommy? Why did she leave him on the street?" Little Allison asked her mother as she climbed onto the bed, making her way in the middle of her parents, pushing her father aside and snuggling next to her mother, watching her movements carefully, watching as she laid her little brother on her chest and she did the same with the puppy.

"I don't know where Jack's mommy is, baby. She is probably still in the street." Teddy replied.

"And what if Jack got lost and she's looking for him?" Teddy and Owen shared a look, here came Allison and her thousands of questions. "I think we should go to the street to find Jack's mommy, so she can be with her baby too. You would be sad if Daniel or I got lost, wouldn't you?"

"Damn it!" Teddy muttered under her breath about to cry at the sweets and eloquent thoughts of her daughter about moms and babies.

Owen laughed and kissed Teddy on the temple. "Baby, maybe someone didn't want Jack and that's why they threw him to the street."

"Yeah, and his mommy must be looking for him." Allison replied stroking Jack's head and kissing him.

"So you want us to throw him back to the street so Jack can look for his mom?"

"No!" Allison cried terrified. "But I think we should look for her mommy and bring her here."

"Love, at the moment we can only have one dog, maybe in the future we can have one more. Okay?" Owen tried to convince her.

"And can I have another sibling too? A sister this time?"

Teddy laughed. "We'll see, baby. We'll see." Then he shot Owen a flirting look.

Jack began to get restless, so Allison took him to the backyard, but immediately ran back to his parents' room. She really didn't want to spend a second separated from her mommy and her brother.

Soon it was time to feed Daniel, and Allison watched with curiosity and wonder as he was fed from her mother's breast.

"Mommy, why does he eat like that?"

"All babies eat like this, my love."

"So, he can't eat cookies?"

"Oh no, no cookies, Allison!" Owen warned her, but not in a harsh way.

Allison remained staring at her baby brother for several minutes without saying a single word, until she came up with a series of questions for which her parents were _not_ prepared.

"Mommy, who put my baby brother in your tummy?"

Teddy and Owen shared a look. From the beginning they agreed that they would always talk to their daughter about the anatomy and functions of the body with their real names and not that slang that some parents used. As doctors, it was the least they could do. But they also agreed that they wouldn't do so until she was interested, but they thought that there were still some years left, when she was 7 or 8 years old maybe, not now, when she was just about to turn 5.

"Well... you'll see ..." Teddy was nervous, she wanted to use the right words, but she felt strange talking to her little almost-5-year-old girl about penises and vaginas and that, although they were just another body parts like hands, legs and her ears, she was definitely not ready to talk to her baby girl about sex.

"Look baby." Owen intervened. "When mommy and daddy love each other very, very, very much, daddy gives mommy a lot more love and together they make a baby."

"Hmmm…" Allison seemed convinced, but they knew her little and inquiring girl, this was just the beginning. "And where did he grow up?"

"He grows up in a part that only we, women, have called uterus. There is where babies grow." Teddy replied.

"So, do I have a uterus?"

"Yes honey, you have one. All women have one."

"So, can I have a baby?"

Owen cleared his throat, it bothered him to think of his baby having babies. "You can, but not now. Only adult women can. When you grow up…" He coughed. "You can..." He coughed again. "You can have your own baby."

Teddy couldn't help laughing, it was so funny to see how awkward Owen felt talking to his baby about making babies of herself. He was so overprotective, she could almost see that it would be very difficult for Allison to have a boyfriend in the future.

"Hey daddy, and how—?"

As saved by the bell, Daniel let out a shrill cry, interrupting his sister and saving his parents from more questions. But the surprises were far from over.

That night, while Allison helped Owen prepare dinner, the little girl came with an unexpected comment that would come to put the cherry on top of her curiosity.

"Daddy, I already know where babies come from!"

Here she goes again, Owen thought. "Oh yeah? Where from?" Owen was uncomfortable for a moment, they hadn't talked to her about where the babies came from, so he didn't know where she got that information.

"The bellybutton!" Allison answered, showing herself very proud of her answer. "The doctor opens the bellybutton, as they did with mommy and takes the baby out!"

Owen breathed in relief. Since she started talking she had a question for everything. First it started with the simple _How?_ and _Why?_ As he grew older her questions became more complex and to this day, neither Owen nor Teddy were ready for her hundreds of questions.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Roses For My Friend**_

* * *

Daniel walked from one side to the other outside the office where his dad was working. He was nervous, but he needed advice and it was finally the right time. His mom and his sister had gone to a spa day before the latter returned to Connecticut for college, so he and his father would have some boys' time alone too.

Daniel peeked out the door, his father was still working very concentrated on the computer. He knocked the door gently with the knuckle of his index finger. "Dad?"

Owen looked up and smiled when he saw his boy. "Hey, what's up?!"

Daniel came in the office, but stood leaning against the door. "Dad, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course! You know you can always come to me when you have any questions. Is it about school? Biology breaking your head again?"

He shook his head. "Well, maybe... more like chemistry, I think."

Owen looked at his boy frowning. It wasn't normal for him to get on all nervous with a question about school. "Son, is everything alright?"

Daniel walked to his father and sat on the desk facing him. "First... Could you lend me 50 bucks?"

"50 BUCKS?! What for? Also, remember that you are grounded for what you did the other day."

"Dad!" The boy complained. "It wasn't my intention. Besides, you never let me explain what really happened!"

"It doesn't matter, Daniel. Your mom was worried sick!"

The boy sighed in defeat. "Then forget it." Daniel jumped down from the desk, but Owen grabbed his arm.

"Tell me what you want money for. Maybe I can turn a blind eye, but only if you tell me what you want it for. More video games?" Daniel shook his head. "So?"

He growled in frustration, it was so embarrassing to talk about this with his father. "I..." But he said the last part so, so fast and between teeth that Owen couldn't understand it.

"What?!"

"I said... I want to buy flowers." Daniel muttered, looking down.

"Flowers?!" Owen frowned. "Your mom's birthday isn't until 5 months, and granny Evelyn's is in 6!"

"They are not for mom or granny... they are… they are for a friend."

Owen couldn't help smiling. He and Teddy had been suspecting for some months now that Daniel had something going on with his friend. From being messy and sometimes not change his clothes for three or four days, lately he showered each and every day. God forbid him to repeat clothes and had started to take his father's perfumes.

"So… flowers for a friend, huh? What about your weekly allowance? Isn't it enough with what your mom, me, grandma and your godfather Nathan give you?"

Daniel growled in frustration again. "I already spent it!"

"Then wait until you save enough money again. I am sure that with all the money we give you in one week you will have more than 50 bucks."

"Dad, that's not fair! You and mom have me grounded. Maybe only granny Evelyn and uncle Nathan give me something, if you haven't already turned them against me!" He crossed his arms over his chest really upset. Owen smiled again, he reminded him so much of himself when he was his age and wanted to show off with his girlfriend.

"It's what it is, Daniel. Deal with the consequences of your actions."

Daniel couldn't even see his father in the face, he was very upset. He really wanted to buy a gift for his girlfriend, Makayla. She was the most beautiful and funny girl he had ever known in his life.

"So... tell me something I can do to surprise her that it doesn't involve money... How did win mom over?"

Owen laughed loudly. "Honestly, I don't know. I don't know how a woman as amazing as your mom fell in love with me."

"Ewww, you two are so cheesy, you are too old for that!"

"Hey! There isn't age for love!" Owen took Daniel's hand. "You know that I love your mom like crazy, and I love you too and I love your sister, you are the most important thing in the entire world for me. And I want you to always know it, and always see it. Your mother and I have always wanted you and your sister to be loved and to see love in your lives."

"Yeah, but it's not cool to see how sometimes you have mom pinned against the wall, the sofa or the kitchen island. It's disgusting!" Daniel frowned in disgust and Owen laughed loudly again.

"Sorry, even after all these years your mom still has that effect on me."

"DAD!" Daniel shouted. "Don't be gross!" He shivered.

"Ok, ok, I'll shut up!" Owen gasped from laughing so much. Then his laughter became silent, reminiscing of all the things he had done to conquer Teddy. "One day... I brought snow to the desert." Owen said in a nostalgic voice.

"Snow to the desert?" Daniel frowned.

"As you know, your Mom is crazy about Christmas and snow… on our first tour together, we weren't as good friends yet, but she already had me head over heels, and then I knew she loved snow and Christmas. So I sent a fake snow machine from the USA to Iraq. At first I lied and said it was for all the soldiers... it wasn't until years later when I confessed that it had been for her. I made it snow for her."

Daniel smiled. Deep down he loved how much his parents loved each other, unlike the parents of many of his friends who were if not divorced, fighting all the time. But he was ashamed to admit it, so he once again put on his annoying teenage facade. "Yeah… I can't do that with 50 bucks! Besides, Makayla doesn't like snow. She loves summer and the beach, what am I supposed to give her? A bottle of sand?!"

Owen laughed again. "Well, that depends on your savings." He mocked him. "That, by the way, what did you do with all that money?! Daniel, it was a lot of money that you had saved."

"I took her to the fair the other day and… I bought her new cheerleading uniform, but she doesn't know it! Her parents are going through a rough patch and have no money for that. She wouldn't have accepted that gift from me, sometimes it bothers her that I buy expensive things for her, she says she doesn't want me to think she's with me for my money."

"Well, money-money you don't have." Owen mocked Daniel again.

"Dad! This is serious." He complained.

"OK sorry."

"Is seriously. Her father just lost his job, now they only have her mom's salary and a lot of debts. She is very sad lately so I wanted to give her a little gift to cheer her up."

Owen smiled broadly. Daniel so noble and worried about people in need, just like his mother.

"What was her dad working on?" Owen asked.

"He was chief of security staff in a factory."

"Ok I'll see what I can do. I don't promise you anything, but I'll talk to Jackson, maybe there's some security spot in the hospital or somewhere in the Fox Foundation."

"Would you really do that?!" Daniel exclaimed with a huge smile.

"Of course."

The boy threw himself into his father's arms. "Thanks Dad!"

"I can't promise anything, but I will try."

"Okay. And dad… about the other night, I want to give you an explanation."

"Well, I'm all ears."

"I was late because I was with Makayla… but it's not as you think. I always, every day I walk with her to her house... there is a group of boys who is always bothering her, they tell her awful things and one of them once spanked her in the cafeteria. They are terrible, dad! So I always walk with her to keep her from going home alone. That day there was no one in her house and she had forgotten her keys, those idiots were riding their bicycles in front of her house, so I stayed with her, sitting on the front porch until her big brother arrived. That's why I came back home late."

"And the bruised eye?" Owen questioned him.

"I might punched one of those assholes." Daniel shrugged with a shy smile.

"I hope he looks worse."

"Both eyes bruised and busted lip."

Owen sighed deeply looking at his boy. "Daniel... you know I don't approve of violence—"

"But he deserved it!"

"I don't approve of violence… but he deserved it. But, next time instead of punching them, talk to an adult, or to the police, are we?" Daniel nodded. "And son, don't worry about big and expensive gifts, sometimes, to impress a girl, big gestures are enough. Walk with her to her house, hold her hand, tell her how beautiful she looks, complement her hair. Believe me she will remember those little big details more than the biggest and most expensive gift."

"I always do that… she is the most beautiful girl, dad! She-she has this beautiful black curly hair, her brown eyes are huge and her eyelashes too, and she has this chocolate skin so, so soft and shiny, and-and-and…" Daniel sighed deeply. "She is so funny and intelligent and-and-and..."

"Oh son." Owen smiled.

_"Boys, we're home"_ Teddy shouted from the front door.

"_We brought pizza for dinner, and onion rings."_ Allison added.

"Onion rings." Owen pointed. "Nobody here loves onion rings more than you, maybe they are not so angry anymore."

Daniel smiled shyly. "Maybe. And thanks dad, for listening to me."

"I will always be here to listen to you, no matter what. And before I go to take down those onion rings…" Owen took a business card from the drawer and handed it to Daniel. "Go to this place, say I sent you, they already know me. Choose something nice for Makayla. The arrangements there are beautiful, it's where I always buy the flowers for your mom and grandma."

"Yeah, I am almost certain that they have nothing worth less than 50 bucks."

Owen laughed. "No, they don't. But you just choose something nice, that goes on me."

Daniel hugged his father again. "Thanks Dad!"

"Boys, we are home." Teddy peeked out the study's door. "Come to dinner. Dan, honey, go help your sister set the table, please."

"Yes mom!" Daniel ran to help his sister.

"What was happening?" Teddy asked Owen, going to him and sitting on his lap, giving him a soft, slow kiss.

"Oh nothing. Men stuff." Teddy looked at him questioningly. "Just get ready to have a romantic at home."

"So it's true. Daniel has a girlfriend." Owen nodded. "Well, if that serves to make him shower every day, I'm more than happy." Both laughed out loud.

Meanwhile, Daniel was already imagining how the flowers he would give his "_friend_" would be.


	20. Chapter 20

**_I keep forgetting that this fic exists even when it's all finished!_**

**_Enjoy and let me know what you think!_**

* * *

_**Sunrise**_

* * *

Owen didn't know how to proceed. It had been a nightmare night, he made decisions that he believed were appropriate considering that he was the Chief of Surgery, but now he was dealing with the consequences of his decisions, no matter how correct they were.

Henry was dead, and Teddy was broken.

Owen's feet were glued to the ground, he couldn't stop looking Teddy through the small window of the morgue door. She was there, lying on her husband's chest, now stiff and cold and that only a few hours before it was warm and filled her with so much peace and warmth after having made love in an on-call room.

Her body was shaking due to crying and the echoes of her whimpers bounced off the walls of the cold and dark room.

"Talk to me, please." Owen listened as Teddy cried in front of Henry's body. "You have to get up, we have to go home, you have to go to med school!"

Owen couldn't take it anymore. He turned around, but ran into a nurse.

"Dr. Hunt, we know what Dr. Altman is going through something very painful, but we need the room, we need to do another autopsy."

Owen nodded solemnly. "I got this."

In spite of himself, Owen turned back to face the door. Opening it slowly, he entered the cold room.

"Teddy?" Owen called her name in a soft whisper, but she didn't answer his call. He walked a few steps to where she was and stood behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder, feeling her entire body tremble. He wanted to hug her so desperately. Wrap her in his arms and let her know that she was not alone and that everything would be fine, but, above all, ask her, beg her to forgive him.

"Don't touch me!" Teddy hollered, snapping Owen's hand away from her and laying again on Henry's cold chest.

"Teddy, please." Owen pleaded. "We have to leave the room. The nurses need to prep it. Come on, let's go to a quiet place."

"I won't leave him… he died alone, without me by his side, without my hand holding his, without me kissing his forehead and all thanks to you!" She cried. "I won't go anywhere, and much less with you." Teddy answered harshly and Owen's heart shattered into thousands of pieces.

"You know it wasn't my fault. It was no one's fault. Just look at his chart, not even the best cardiothoracic surgeon in the world could've saved him." Owen tried to convince her that it wasn't his fault, nor hers, nor Cristina's. It was no one's fault that Henry was dead.

"I could've saved him!" Teddy yelled in pain.

"You know you couldn't have." Owen replied in a soft voice. Teddy was upset, mad, hurt, for now most of her actions would be mostly irrational and driven by grief.

"Get out of here!" She growled under her breath, looking at Owen with eyes full of anger and pain. "I don't want to see you. I don't want to hear you. GET OUT!"

Owen knew it was a lost battle from the moment he entered the room. Teddy was in the worst state that a human being could be. So with all the pain in his heart he nodded slightly and left Teddy alone in the room with Henry's corpse.

Though hurt by Teddy's reaction, he understood. He loved her, she was his best friend, his person, and it hurt like it was his own pain for what she was going through. Before leaving her alone, she asked the nurses to keep an eye on her and let him know about her whereabouts at all times. He was afraid to leave her alone, he feared what she could do in such a vulnerable state.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Teddy was still crying next to Henry's body, until two nurses entered and forced her out. Giving her only a plastic bag with her husband's belongings.

Teddy was in a catatonic state, she left the room, yes, but not before putting up a fight with the nurses and clinging to Henry's cold arm. In the end it was useless.

Teddy took the bag and pressed it against her chest tightly. His shirt had been discarded in the ER, there was only his jeans, his shoes, his socks and his wallet. His clothes still smelled like him. She cried over Henry's belongings as she wandered through the hospital corridors without a fixed course.

While walking she could feel the pity of people who saw her passing by, whispering behind her back, waiting for her to crumble into a thousand pieces. When she realized, she had reached the hospital entrance; the warm rays of dawn hitting her cold and trembling body.

Teddy took a few seconds to close her eyes and take in the sun's rays. Henry was a morning man, he loved to get up early, make breakfast and go jogging. He loved the sunrises, they were his favorite thing in the world. They day they had gotten together, the first thing they both did was talk, talk for hours until dawn. When Henry noticed the first rays of sun, he turned enthusiastically toward the window, pulling Teddy by the hand with him, standing there and hugging her from behind and watching the sunrise.

"I love sunrises." He confessed on that occasion. "Every time I can, I get up to contemplate them, a new day, a new day for me. I never know when it'll be the last sunrise."

On that occasion Teddy had shut him out, she didn't want to think about the last day by his side. In her mind they had a lifetime ahead. She never imagined that their time together would be so short.

Opening her eyes, she looked directly at the sun, letting herself be blinded by the luminous rays, it was a beautiful dawn, one that Henry would surely have loved. She didn't know what to do, where to go. She needed to be alone. After all, she was _sure_ that that would be her future from now on, _loneliness_...


End file.
